An observational study in Aging, sponsored by The University of Texas at Arlington. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 85 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-23.
Sponsored by The University of Texas at Arlington · Observational
The goal of this observational study is to learn about the mechanisms causing functional decline with age, using magnetic resonance imaging, exercise science, integrative physiology, neuroscience, and remote monitoring.
Specific aims include:
Aim 1: Advance knowledge of the biology of aging and its impact on the prevention, progression, and prognosis of disease and disability.
Aim 2: Determine the effects of personal and societal factors on aging.
Aim 3: Examine the influence of racial/ethnic and sex differences on the biology of aging and its impact on the prevention, progression, and prognosis of disease and disability.
Subjects will be asked to participate in two study visits that may last up to 5 hours each. In some cases, additional visits may be needed to accommodate their schedule, and/or the schedule of the study team. All participants will provide informed consent prior to participating in the study procedures such as demographic, medical history, risk factor assessment; questionnaires; geographic information system analysis; blood pressure measurements; assessment of aerobic exercise capacity, cognitive function; olfactory testing; Dual X-Ray absorbency, fasting followed by venous blood draw, vascular function assessment; testing of muscle strength; short physical performance battery; functional mobility; and remote monitoring. The order of procedures and visits may change depending on participant, staff, equipment, and infrastructure availability/needs. Moreover, procedures may be repeated for data quality purposes, if deemed necessary by the investigators.
The University of Texas at Arlington is the lead sponsor of 37 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
Of its 8 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (25%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Adult men and women currently living in Tarrant County will be contacted through IRB approved flyers, targeted ads (social media), and/or word-of-mouth.
Phase 1: Young healthy men and women between 18 - 30 years of age, and older men and women between 50 - 80 years of age.
Phase 2: Men and women living in Tarrant County, Texas, between 50 - 85 years of age. In addition, the investigators will study up to 120 younger men and women, between 18-30 years of age, equally divided by race/ethnicity (same as above) and sex, to serve as reference controls.
Exclusion Criteria:
Phase 1: Clinical diagnosis of dementia; major depression (diagnosed by a physician), visual or auditory impairments that preclude neuropsychological testing or otherwise jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the participant during testing, non-ambulatory status (i.e. less than 10 m without mobility aid), shortness of breath while performing normal activities of daily living (walking through grocery store), body mass index greater than 45 kg/m2, heart failure or cardiomyopathy, acute coronary syndrome, primary valvular heart disease, severe gait disorder due to musculoskeletal disease or neurological motor deficit (e.g. severe osteoarthritis, lower limb amputation, Parkinson's disease, major stroke with motor sequelae); daily consumption of more than two alcoholic beverages; current treatment for cancer, and estimated life expectancy less than 4 years. Inclusion/exclusion will be verified using the demographics and medical history.
Phase 2: Clinical diagnosis of dementia; major depression (diagnosed by a physician), visual or auditory impairments that preclude neuropsychological testing or otherwise jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the participant during testing, non-ambulatory status (i.e. less than 10 m without mobility aid), shortness of breath while performing normal activities of daily living (walking through grocery store), body mass index greater than 45 kg/m2, heart failure or cardiomyopathy, acute coronary syndrome, primary valvular heart disease, severe gait disorder due to musculoskeletal disease or neurological motor deficit (e.g. severe osteoarthritis, lower limb amputation, Parkinson's disease, major stroke with motor sequelae), daily consumption of more than two alcoholic beverages; current treatment for cancer, and estimated life expectancy less than 4 years. Inclusion/exclusion will be verified using the demographics and medical history.
Sense of Smell
Olfactory Testing will be assessed using the NIH Toolbox Odor Identification cards. After scratching a card and sniffing from each sample, respondents will be asked to choose the best match for each odor from pictures representing the odor sources.
Time frame: Baseline
Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure will be measured in the sitting position using an automated blood pressure monitor. After sitting blood pressure measurements, participants will be asked to stand up to measure standing blood pressure.
Time frame: Baseline
Street Address
Geographic information systems will assign a geocode to each participant's home address, providing latitude, and longitude coordinates based on the provided street address.
Time frame: Baseline
Ankle Brachial Index
The Ankle Brachial Index will be noninvasively assessed using the Smartdop XT device (Koven Technology, Inc.).
Time frame: Baseline
Pulse Wave Velocity
Arterial stiffness will be measured non-invasively with the Sphygmocor XCEL device (AtCor Medical).
Time frame: Baseline
Flow- mediated dilation
The flow-mediated change in brachial artery diameter (i.e. flow-mediated dilation; FMD), in response to a 5-minute period of arterial occlusion will be used to assess peripheral vascular function.
Time frame: Baseline
Steps taken
A wrist-worn continuous activity tracker (Fitbit wristband) will be worn by the subjects for 7 days.
Time frame: Baseline
Sedentary Time
A wrist-worn continuous activity tracker with heart rate monitor (Fitbit wristband) will be worn by the subjects for 7 days.
Time frame: Baseline
Sleep
A wrist-worn continuous activity tracker (Fitbit) will be worn by the subjects for 7 days to assess total sleep time, and sleep quality.
Time frame: Baseline
Medical History Questionnaire
Participants will complete health history questionnaires to gain a deeper understanding of their lived experiences and past medical history.
Time frame: Baseline
Complete blood count
Venous blood will be drawn by a trained phlebotomist and/or nurse in the fasting state. Blood will be shipped to LabCorp for processing of the complete blood count.
Time frame: Baseline
Functional Mobility
Objective gait measurements will be obtained using a gait mat. Participants will complete 6 separate walks down the full length of the walkway; 3 walks at a preferred pace and 3 walks while performing different secondary tasks (i.e. dual-task gait) in a fixed order: 1. counting backward by ones, 2. naming animals, and 3. counting backward by sevens. Walking aids will be permitted.
Time frame: Baseline
Cognitive Function
Cognitive function will be assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB), administered on an iPad or computer by a trained study team member.
Time frame: Baseline
Lower extremity function
Participants will perform the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). The test includes walking, the sit-to-stand test and balance.
Time frame: Baseline
Grip strength
Grip strength will be measured following a standardized approach using a validated Jamar handgrip dynamometer (Model J00105, JAMAR Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer).
Time frame: Baseline
Bone Density
Participants will undergo Dual X-Ray Absorbency (DEXA) to measure bone density.
Time frame: Baseline
Interstitial glucose
A continuous glucose monitor that measures interstitial glucose will be worn by the subject for 7 days.
Time frame: Baseline
Body Composition
Participants will undergo Dual X-Ray Absorbency (DEXA) to measure subcutaneous and visceral fat content.
Time frame: Baseline
Ambulatory blood pressure
A wrist worn continuous blood pressure monitor (Aktiia wristband) will be worn by the subjects for 7 days for the measurement of ambulatory blood pressure.
Time frame: Baseline
Exercise Capacity
Exercise Capacity will be assessed using the six-minute walk test.
Time frame: Baseline
Blood lipids
Venous blood will be drawn and shipped to Labcorp for blood lipid analysis
Time frame: Baseline
Metabolic Panel (blood)
Venous blood will be drawn and shipped to labcorp for evaluation of the metabolic panel.
Time frame: Baseline
Apolipoprotein A
Measured by labcrop from venous blood draw.
Time frame: Baseline
Apolipoprotein B
Analyzed by labcorp from venous blood draw.
Time frame: Baseline
Lipoprotein A
Analyzed by labcorp from venous blood draw
Time frame: Baseline
Blood checmistry panel
Analyzed by labcorp from venous blood draw
Time frame: Baseline
HbA1C (blood)
Analyzed by labcorp from venous blood draw
Time frame: Baseline
High sensitivity C reactive protein (blood)
Analyzed by labcorp from venous blood draw
Time frame: Baseline
Genetic testing
Whole blood (approximately 25 ml) will be stored in special tubes that preserve genetic material in our -80ºC freezer. Genetic testing experiments, including targeted single variants, single gene testing, genetic panel testing, whole genome sequencing, chromosomal testing, gene expression and biochemical testing, may be performed on the samples.
Time frame: Baseline
Plan to share: Undecided
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