Clinical Research Directory

Chair Exercise and Intergenerational Activities in Older Adults With Physio-Cognitive Decline Syndrome

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of chair exercise followed by intergenerational activity in frailty syndrome and changes in serum mBDN levels among older adults with Physio-Cognitive Decline Syndrome (PCDS), as a novel approach integrating physical and social intervention with biomolecular assessments In older adults with PCDS 1. Does A 16-week program of chair exercise followed by intergenerational activity improve handgrip strength (HGS), gait speed, MoCA-Ina scores, and health-related quality of life? 2. Does a 16-week program of chair exercise followed by an intergenerational activity increase serum mBDNF level? 3. Are serum mBDNF levels associated with MoCA-Ina scores, gait speed, and handgrip strength? Intervention Group Participants will undergo a 12-week structured chair exercise program, conducted with a trained exercise instructor and supervised by a physician for vital sign monitoring during each session. The frequency of sessions will increase progressively: * Weeks 1-2: once weekly * Weeks 3-6: twice weekly * Week 7-12: three times weekly Additional activities include (intervention and control group): * Weeks 1 and 11: teleconference session on nutrition and physical exercise supported by electronic flyers (e-flyers). * Weeks 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13: distribution of e-flyers on elderly nutrition and the muscle-brain axis. Additional Activity (intervention group) \- Weeks 13-16: intergenerational activities at an orphanage with children aged \>5 years Assessments (intervention and control group): * Week 1: serum mBDNF and HbA1c measurement * Week 12 and 16: physical assessments (body weight, height, handgrip strength, gait speed, MoCA-Ina, and IADL) and serum mBDNF measurement. Control Group: The participant will receive general health education on performing physical exercise 1-3 times per week throughout week 1-16

Effectiveness of a ReMIND Diet Intervention on Sarcopenia, Cognitive Frailty and Nutritional Status in Older Adults

This research is a single-blinded, 12-week, two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a Malaysian-adapted MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet retort meal intervention on sarcopenia risk, cognitive frailty status, nutritional status, depression, functional ability, and food security among older adults in Malaysia. With Malaysia projected to become an aged society by 2030, addressing age-related health challenges, including cognitive frailty and sarcopenia, is a national priority. Current evidence indicates that poor diet quality and food insecurity among older adults, especially those in low-income urban communities, exacerbate these conditions. The study is grounded on the Meals on Wheels (MoW) program, which has been effective in reducing malnutrition among older populations globally but is limited in scalability due to high delivery costs. Retort meals which are shelf-stable and nutritionally balanced offer a feasible alternative for meal provision in poor urban settings. The MIND diet, originally designed to support brain health, also demonstrates benefits for muscle health and overall physical function. However, its adaptation to the Malaysian context is crucial due to cultural dietary preferences and cost barriers to certain ingredients. The intervention will recruit 70 older adults (aged 60-84 years) from Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Seri Alam Fasa 2 and Perumahan Awam (PA) Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur, classified under the B40 income group and at risk of food insecurity. The intervention group will receive retort meals designed according to the adapted MIND diet principles, while the control group will not receive intervention. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks to assess outcomes in muscle health, cognitive frailty, nutritional status, depression, functional ability, food security, and cost-effectiveness. Overall, the conceptual framework provides a structured approach to understanding how the intervention contributes to improved nutritional well-being and supports the economic viability of the Meals on Wheels program. Potential confounding variables, including socioeconomic status, baseline health conditions, social support, and lifestyle factors, may also influence the outcomes. Participants will fill up a questionnaire regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, medical factors, psychological factors, lifestyle factors, food security status, functional ability, and depression status. Besides, the researcher will conduct face-to-face interviews to collect data regarding anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, medical costs, and diet history. Statistical analyses will employ mixed-effects models to evaluate both continuous and categorical outcomes over time. The findings will generate crucial evidence on the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-efficiency of using retort meals within MoW programs in Malaysia. Furthermore, it will inform national strategies to address food insecurity, promote healthy ageing, and reduce the burden of age-related health conditions. With Malaysia's rapidly ageing population and increasing prevalence of sarcopenia and cognitive frailty, this study has the potential to shape policy and practice by offering a sustainable, culturally tailored nutrition intervention. The evidence derived will support the scaling up of MoW programs using retort meals and contribute to long-term solutions for improving the quality of life and independence of older adults in Malaysia.

Exploratory Trial of VR Intervention on Neuroplasticity in Older Adults With Cognitive Frailty

To investigate the effects of VR based intervention on neuroplasticity in older adults with cognitive frailty.

The Effect of Dual Tasks of Digital Technology on Cognitive Function and Physical Activity in the Older Adults With Cognitive Frailty

Background: Cognitive frailty is a state that combines physical weakness and cognitive impairment. As age increases, the prevalence rate also increases. Older adults with cognitive frailty are prone to falls, limited or degraded physical functions, and are at high risk of becoming disabled. It is an essential predictor of dementia and mortality. There are currently very few randomized controlled trial studies on cognitive frailty abroad. Although there are many related studies on senile frailty in Taiwan, most studies examine cognitive function and physical frailty separately. Since cognitive frailty is reversible, early intervention can delay or prevent the occurrence of cognitive frailty. Therefore, cognitive-motor dual tasks are introduced. For more information, see the effectiveness of dual-tasking in cases of cognitive decline. Purpose: Goal is to not only explore the feasibility of a motor-cognition dual-task program for elderly individuals with cognitive frailty but also to compare its impact on cognitive and physical function with existing training programs. By doing so, the purpose of this study will be to provide practical insights that can inform the development of effective interventions for this vulnerable population. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was used to explore the effectiveness of a dual-task intervention program on cognitive function and physical activity in older adults with cognitive frailty. Eligible subjects were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group used Nintendo Switch to perform dual tasks of motor cognition, while the control group performed regular activities. Twice a week, 60 minutes each time, for eight weeks of training. Both groups completed basic information (demographics, disease characteristics, and lifestyle), cognitive function measurements, and physical activity function measurements in the pre-test (T0) in the 4th week (T1) and 8th week (T2). Cognitive function measurements and physical activity function measurements were performed again. Using SPSS 29.0 as a statistical tool, independent sample t-test and Chi-square test were used to detect the demographic variables, disease treatment variables, living habits, cognitive functions, and physical effects of the two groups-homogeneity of activities. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used as a statistical method to process and analyze repeated measurement data. The effects of the inter-group and time interaction on the two groups' cognitive function and physical activity were studied differently. Expected research results: This study is expected to construct a suitable dual-task program to introduce the role of physical and cognitive function in this group and explore its effectiveness.

Effects of Music-with-Movement on Cognitive and Physical Performance of People With Potentially Reversible Cognitive Frailty: a Randomised Controlled Trial

This study aims to evaluate the effects of Music-with-Movement Simultaneous Cognitive-Motor Dual-Task Training (MM-SDTT) on cognitive and physical performance in older adults with cognitive frailty coexisting with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and physical frailty. Research Questions: 1. Will the treatment group show greater improvement in global cognitive functions than the social control group at Week 16? 2. Will the treatment group show greater improvements in both cognitive, physical performance and psychosocial well-being than the social control group at Weeks 16 and 28? Methodology: Participants in the Treatment Group: * Undergo a 16-week intervention comprising: 1. Once-weekly center-based training supervised by a physical coach 2. Twice-weekly home-based training using provided training videos Participants in the Social Control Group: * Engage in once-weekly social gatherings and receive remedial training after data collection is completed.