CClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07223905VRTT for MCRUpdated Sep 30, 2026

Motor-Cognitive Training for Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome

An interventional study of Virtual Reality Treadmill Training and Treadmill Training in Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome, sponsored by University of Kansas Medical Center. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 65 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-30.

Sponsored by University of Kansas Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Mar 2026; still recruiting 6 months later.
Updated Sep 30, 2026Now RecruitingSite recruiting status changed+3 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
65 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate if combined motor-cognitive training can improve motor and cognitive symptoms in older adults with motoric cognitive risk syndrome. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does motor-cognitive training using a virtual reality treadmill improve gait speed?
  • Does motor-cognitive training using a virtual reality treadmill improve cognitive functions?

Researchers will compare virtual reality treadmill training with treadmill training to see if virtual reality treadmill training works to improve motor and cognitive functions in older adults at risk of dementia

Participants will

  • Complete 18 sessions (1 hour, 3x/week, 6 weeks) of either virtual reality treadmill training or treadmill training
  • Complete a pre- and post-training assessment
  • Wear an activity sensor for seven days prior to the pre-training assessment and for seven days after the post-training assessment.
Read the detailed description

The objective of this single-blind randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of combined motor-cognitive training using a virtual reality treadmill with motor training using a conventional treadmill in older adults with Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome. MCR is a geriatric condition characterized by slow gait speed and subjective cognitive complaints. The coexistence of motor and cognitive impairments in individuals with MCR significantly increases their risk of developing dementia. To date, randomized controlled trials investigating active interventions that simultaneously target both motor and cognitive functions remain scarce. This study will examine whether 18 training sessions, delivered over six weeks at a frequency of three 1-hour sessions per week, using a virtual reality treadmill lead to greater improvements in motor and cognitive outcomes compared to conventional treadmill training.

02

Conditions studied

  • Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Kansas Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 483 studies on the registry; 113 are open to participants now.

Of its 38 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 24 (63%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 65
  • English speaking
  • Normal cognition (CDR=0)
  • Meet MCR criteria
  • Voluntary consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Major chronic unstable disease or neurological condition (e.g., seizures)
  • Diagnosed dementia
  • Active psychiatric conditions
  • Musculoskeletal conditions that affect walking for more than 2 minutes
  • Severe visual or hearing impairments
  • Sedating drugs (new use of narcotics or anxiolytics within the past month or chronic use that causes sedation)
  • Currently engaged in other non-pharmacological interventions to improve cognition or walking
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Virtual Reality Treadmill Training

    The virtual reality treadmill training (VRTT) group will complete 18 training sessions over six weeks (three 1-hour sessions per week). Participants will perform prescribed tasks designed to challenge motor, cognitive, and motor-cognitive functions within a VR environment projected onto a screen in front of the treadmill (Fig 1). The VRTT system includes a conventional treadmill with a harness suspension system, camera-based motion capture (Intel RealSense, Santa Clara, CA), and a computer-generated simulation (GaitBetter, Tel Aviv, Israel). The camera tracks the participant's feet movements, which are displayed within the VR environment, allowing participants to see their feet navigating obstacles, pathways, and narrow corridors. Each session will include three walking bouts interspersed with rest breaks, targeting at least 40 minutes of active motor-cognitive training.

    Behavioral: Virtual Reality Treadmill Training

  • Active comparator
    Treadmill Training

    Participants in the treadmill training (TT) intervention will follow a traditional TT program without feedback from the VR system. 70 The focus will be on increasing gait speed and distance, with no motor-cognitive training such as obstacle crossing or cognitive tasks while walking.

    Behavioral: Treadmill Training

Interventions

  • BehavioralVirtual Reality Treadmill Training

    The Virtual Reality Treadmill Training (VRTT) group will complete 18 training sessions over six weeks (three 1-hour sessions per week). Participants will perform prescribed tasks designed to challenge motor, cognitive, and motor-cognitive functions within a VR environment projected onto a screen in front of the treadmill (Fig 1). The VRTT system includes a conventional treadmill with a harness suspension system, camera-based motion capture (Intel RealSense, Santa Clara, CA), and a computer-generated simulation (GaitBetter, Tel Aviv, Israel). The camera tracks the participant's feet movements, which are displayed within the VR environment, allowing participants to see their feet navigating obstacles, pathways, and narrow corridors. Each session will include three walking bouts interspersed with rest breaks, targeting at least 40 minutes of active motor-cognitive training.

  • BehavioralTreadmill Training

    Participants in the Treadmill Training (TT) intervention will follow a traditional TT program without feedback from the VR system. 70 The focus will be on increasing gait speed and distance, with no motor-cognitive training such as obstacle crossing or cognitive tasks while walking.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Dual-task gait speed

    2 trials of 2-minute walking on a 10-meter walkway while completing auditory oddball task

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  2. Cognition

    Uniform Data Set (UDS) 4.0 global cognition composite score

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  3. Gait speed

    Gait speed on 4-meter walk test (4MWT)

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  4. Cognitive complaints

    Self-report of cognitive complaints based on memory item of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): yes - no

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Dual task cost

    Motor and cognitive dual task cost defined using ((dual task - single task) / single task) \* 100

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  2. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics

    Inertial Motion Units will collect spatiotemporal gait characteristics during single-task and dual-task walking

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  3. Cognitive domain scores

    Uniform Data Set 4.0 (UDS) cognitive domain scores

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  4. P3 event-related potential (ERP)

    P3 event-related potential (ERP) extracted from electroencephalography during oddball test

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  5. Mitochondrial function

    Mitochondrial functional index collected from blood serum

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

Other outcomes

  1. Real-world physical activity and gait data

    Physical activity and gait data collected from activity sensors

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  2. Depression

    Scores on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): range 0 - 15; higher score is worse

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  3. Health-related Quality of life

    Scores on Short Form 36 (SF-36): range 0 - 100; higher score is better

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  4. Frailty

    Scores on the Evaluative Frailty Index for Physical Activity (EFIPA): range 0 - 1; higher score is worse

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  5. Falls

    Self-report of falls via falls diaries

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

  6. Resilience

    Brief Resilience Scale (BRS): range 6 - 30; higher scores are better

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • University of Kansas Medical Center
    Kansas City, Kansas 66160, United States
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Active, not recruiting→Recruiting
changed Sep 30, 2026
Sites
University of Kansas Medical Center is now Recruiting
Sep 30, 2026
Primary completion
Oct 31, 2026→Sep 30, 2027
Sep 30, 2026
Study completion
Dec 31, 2026→Sep 30, 2027
Sep 30, 2026
Enrollment
10→30
Sep 30, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Sep 30, 2026
    Active, not recruiting→Recruiting
    University of Kansas Medical Center is now Recruiting
    Primary completion Oct 31, 2026→Sep 30, 2027
    Study completion Dec 31, 2026→Sep 30, 2027
    Enrollment 10→30
    + 3 other changes: verification date, responsible party and contact details

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07223905
Lead sponsor
University of Kansas Medical Center
Collaborators
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 3, 2025
Start date
Mar 10, 2026
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 30, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 30, 2026

Study contacts

Hannes Devos, PhD
Contact
hdevos@kumc.edu
913-588-8253

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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