Recruiting

Exercise Impact

Sponsor:

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Code:

NCT07883720

Conditions

Epilepsy

Functional Neurological Disorder

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dementia

Parkinson Disease

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Acute Exercise

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this study is to investigate how a one-time exercise session influences different parameters of brain function in people with neurological diseases compared to healthy volunteers. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

  • How do fitness level, exercise performance, and physical exhaustion differ between patients with neurological diseases and healthy participants?
  • How does acute exercise affect brain function and other physiological biomarkers in participants with neurological diseases?

Participants will take part in a single, one-day study visit and will be asked to:

  • Perform a standardized exercise test on a bicycle ergometer
  • Undergo a brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, a blood draw, and autonomic measurements before and after the exercise test

Conditions

Epilepsy

Functional Neurological Disorder

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dementia

Parkinson Disease

Study ID

NCT07883720

Start date

Jul 22, 2026

Status verified date

Sep, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 years or older
  • Clinical diagnosis of one of the following neurological diseases: epilepsy, functional neurological disorder, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, Parkinson's disease, concussion, brain tumor \[for participants with neurological diseases\]
  • No diagnosis of neurological disease \[for healthy control participants\]

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Non-english speaking individuals
  • Exercise contraindications (e.g., physical impairments limiting use of bicycle ergometer, acute infections, severe heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension, exercise associated seizures)
  • Current use of medications for cardiac rhythm or rate control
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contraindications (e.g., electrical implants, ferromagnetic implants or objects, pregnancy)

Study Design

Enrollment

240 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Acute Exercise

All participants will undergo one-time exhaustive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Interventions

Acute Exercise

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) will be performed on a bicycle ergometer using a standardized incremental ramp protocol until maximal voluntary exhaustion.

Primary outcome measure

  • Changes in functional brain network economy measures from pre- to post-exercise [ Time Frame: Before exercise (baseline) and immediately after acute exercise (approximately 10 to 20 minutes) in a single study visit ]
  • Changes in brain metabolites from pre- to post-exercise [ Time Frame: Before exercise (baseline) and immediately after acute exercise (approximately 10 to 20 minutes) in a single study visit ]
  • Changes in blood-based biomarkers from pre- to post-exercise [ Time Frame: Before exercise (baseline) and immediately after acute exercise (approximately 10 to 20 minutes) in a single study visit ]
  • Changes in autonomic nervous system activity from pre- to post-exercise [ Time Frame: Before exercise (baseline) and immediately after acute exercise (approximately 10 to 20 minutes) in a single study visit ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Claus Reinsberger, MD, PhD

617-804-5828creinsberger@mgb.org

Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115

Contacts

Claus Reinsberger, MD, PhD

617-804-5828creinsberger@mgb.org

More Information

Sponsor

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Last update posted

Oct 20, 2026

Last verified

Sep, 2026

Keywords

  • Exercise
  • Cardiorespiratory Fitness
  • Neuroimaging
  • Autonomic Nervous System

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-21. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Brigham and Women's Hospital on 2026-10-20. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.