An interventional study of Cognitive stimulation and Physical activity in Aging, Elderly and Cognitive Decline, sponsored by Sunway University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Malaysia. Open to participants aged 60 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-12.
Sponsored by Sunway University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Recent studies have shown promising cognitive and physical interventions aimed at slowing down ageing-related declines in quality of life, but they lack strong ecological validity (brief durations, unrealistic goals, no real-world application) and has yet to show robust evidence that such interventions are stable and suitable in the long-term. The investigators aim to examine whether these interventions can, over four years, significantly slow down the normal rate of ageing-related decline.
This is a longitudinal, controlled, cohort study. The overarching aim in this intervention study is three-fold: (1) to test hypotheses derived from ageing-related theories, (2) to provide robust measurable evidence both in the long-term and validate meaningful interventions, and (3) provide quantifiable cost-benefit ratio to suggested solutions. A cohort of Malaysian older adults will be recruited and assigned to one of the groups, either cognitive stimulation, physical activity, combined cognitive stimulation and physical activity, or non-intervention control.
3,872 studies on the registry are indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction; 1,119 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 400 is above the median of 64 across 2,794 interventional studies indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction.
Browse Cognitive Dysfunction studies →Sunway University is the lead sponsor of 11 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Malaysian older adults aged 60 and above who fulfil the following criteria will be recruited:
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.
MMSE and MoCA
Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will take part in psychoeducation, videogaming, book club and technology training workshops.
Behavioral: Cognitive stimulation
Participants will take part in walking, Zumba, resistance exercise and aerobics sessions.
Behavioral: Physical activity
Participants will take part in both cognitive stimulation and physical activity intervention sessions.
Behavioral: Cognitive stimulation · Behavioral: Physical activity
Participants will not take part in any intervention.
The cognitive stimulation will comprise of psychoeducation, videogaming, book club and technology training workshop sessions. Participants will take part in weekly sessions that are an hour long each. For every six months, the participants will alternate between psychoeducation, videogaming, book club and technology training workshop sessions.
The physical activity intervention will comprise of walking, Zumba, resistance exercise and aerobics sessions. Participants will take part in weekly sessions that are an hour long each. For every six months, the participants will alternate between walking, Zumba, resistance exercise and aerobics sessions until the end of intervention period.
Changes in cognitive scores
Changes in cognitive scores will be evaluated using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Possible scores range from 0-30. Higher scores indicate less cognitive impairment.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in electroencephalogram (EEG)
Onset of neural responses to errors in the Go/No Go task will be evaluated using EEG.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Relationship between Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance and grey matter volume will be evaluated using structural MRI.
Time frame: 4 years
Cost-benefit analysis of intervention
The economic benefits from the interventions will be evaluated and will cover three aspects: financial, productivity and health.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in levels of human salivary lactoferrin
Changes in levels of human salivary lactoferrin (ng/mL) will be measured using salivary Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits. Low levels of lactoferrin can potentially indicate higher risk for cognitive impairment.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in levels of human salivary C-reactive proteins
Changes in levels of human salivary C-reactive proteins (CRP, mg/L) will be measured using salivary Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits. High levels of CRP can indicate inflammation and its association with greater cognitive decline.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in salivary telomere length
Changes in salivary telomere length (T/S ratio) will be measured using quantitative PCR. A higher T/S ratio indicates better preservation of telomere length hence better preservation of cognition.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in depression scores
Changes in depression scores will be measured using part of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Possible scores range from 0-42. Higher scores indicating greater frequency of depressive experiences.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in anxiety scores
Changes in anxiety scores will be measured using part of the Form Y of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Possible scores range from 6-24. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety.
Time frame: 4 years
Changes in body composition
Changes in body composition will be measured using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), including parameters such as body fat percentage, muscle mass and visceral fat composition.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m²) will be evaluated using participants' height and body weight measurements.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Changes in blood pressure
Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) will be measured using a standard blood pressure monitoring device.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Changes in falls risk
Changes in falls risk will be evaluated using the Falls Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT). Higher scores indicate greater risk of falls.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Changes in sarcopenia risk
Changes in sarcopenia risk will be evaluated using the SARC-F questionnaire. Higher scores indicate greater risk of sarcopenia.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Changes in frailty status
Changes in frailty status will be assessed using the Pictorial Fit-Frail Scale. Higher scores indicate greater frailty.
Time frame: Throughout study participation, up to 4 years
Plan to share: No — No. However, limited access to data could be shared upon reasonable request.
Started May 2022 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Aug 2029, 87 months after the start.
Of 1,442 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Cognitive Dysfunction, half reached primary completion within 27 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 13 and three quarters within 51. This study's planned 87 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,511 studies reached it within 27 months; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 50.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Sunway University