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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Jan 29.
Published in final edited form as: Biol Res Nurs. 2016 Jul 29;19(1):53–64. doi: 10.1177/1099800416660758

Table 1.

Sample & Intervention Characteristics of Six Physical Activity Studies for Brain Health with Middle-Aged & Older Adult Samples

# Author (Year) Design Sample Intervention
Inclusion Criteria Sample Characteristics Setting Intervention & Control Intervention Duration Attendance, Adherence
1 Chapman et al. (2013)
USA		 RCT
T1: baseline
T2: 6 weeks
T3: 12 weeks

  • Sedentary (<20 min twice weekly)

  • High school diploma or higher

  • No cognitive impairment

  • No history of neurological or psychiatric conditions

  • No MRI contraindications

  • No elevated depressive symptoms

  • Not left-handed

  • Average IQ range

  • BMI <40

 N = 37 (18 intervention, 19 control), Age 57–75 years (M = 64.0 ± 3.9), 73% female Lab Intervention

  • Physical training: 60-min aerobic exercise training sessions 3x/week at 50–75% max heart rate (bike or treadmill)

Control

  • Wait-list control

 12 weeks Participants attended over 90% of sessions
2 Colcombe, et al. (2004)
USA		 RCT
T1: baseline
T2: 25 weeks

  • Older adults

  • Sedentary

  • No dementia

  • No psychiatric disability

  • Near-vision acuity for a 18-inch distance

 N = 29 (intervention & control n not reported), Age 58–77 years (M = 65.6 ± 5.7), 62.1% female, education M = 15.1 years Not reported Intervention

  • Cardiovascular fitness training: 40- to 45-min walking sessions 3x/week (increasing in length & intensity) led by trained exercise personnel

Control

  • Toning & stretching: 40–45-min sessions 3x/week led by trained exercise personnel

 24 weeks Not reported
3 Erickson et al. (2011)
USA		 RCT
T1: within 4 weeks of intervention
T2: 24 weeks
T3: 1 year

  • Older adults aged 55–80

  • Sedentary

  • No cognitive impairment (score ≥51 on modified Mini-Mental State Examination)

  • No history of neurological or vascular diseases, including diabetes & cardiovascular

  • No elevated depressive symptoms

  • No MRI contraindications

  • Right-handedness

  • Corrected visual acuity of 20/40 vision & able to see color

 N = 120 (60 intervention, 60 control), Age 60–79 years (M = 66.6 ± 5.6), 67% female Not reported Intervention

  • Aerobic exercise program: 10- to 40-min aerobic exercise sessions 3x/week at 50–75% intensity (gradually increasing in time & intensity) supervised by trained exercise leader

Control

  • Toning & stretching: 60-min sessions 3x/week supervised by trained exercise leader

 1 year Participants attended 85% of sessions
4 Holzschneider et al. (2012)
Germany		 RCT
T1: baseline
T2: 24 weeks

  • Adults aged 40–55 years

  • Sedentary

  • No history of neurological or psychiatric conditions

  • No elevated depressive symptoms

  • No evidence of unstable conditions that prevent safe participation

 N = 33 (16 intervention [8 spatial, 8 perceptual], 17 control [9 spatial, 8 perceptual]), Age 40–55 years (M = 48.9 ± 3.8), 52% female Not reported Intervention

  • Aerobic endurance training: 60-min group cycling sessions 2x/week led by exercise instructor

  • Cognitive training (randomized into spatial & perceptual cognitive training groups): 6 40-min spatial cognitive training sessions 1–2x/week in the last month of aerobic training

Control

  • Non-endurance training: 60-min stretching & coordination sessions 2x/week led by exercise instructor

  • Cognitive training (see above)

 24 weeks Not reported
5 Mortimer et al. (2012)
China		 RCT
T1: baseline
T2: 20 weeks
T3: 40 weeks

  • Older adults aged 60–79 years

  • Sedentary

  • No cognitive impairment or dementia

  • No history of stroke or neurological conditions

  • No elevated depressive symptoms

  • No unstable cardiovascular or musculoskeletal conditions

  • No MRI contraindications

  • Ability to walk for 2 km & balance on two feet independently

 N = 120 (90 intervention [30 Tai Chi, 30 walking, 30 social interaction], 30 control), Age 60–79 years (M = 67.9 ± 5.8), 67% female, education M = 11.7 years Local park, gym, community center Intervention (3 groups):

  • Walking: 50- min group walking sessions led by two group leaders 3x/week while wearing a pedometer

  • Tai Chi: 50-min sessions 3x/week led by a Tai Chi master & assistant

  • Social interaction: 60-min discussion sessions 3x/week led by two group leaders

Control

  • Phone calls: 4 total phone calls from study coordinator during study period

 40 weeks Not reported
6 Voelcker-Rehage et al. (2011)
Germany		 RCT
T1: baseline
T2: 24 weeks
T3: 1 year

  • Older adults

  • Sedentary

  • No cognitive impairment or dementia

  • No history of stroke, neurological or cardiovascular conditions

  • No condition that prevents participation

  • No MRI contraindications

  • Ability to walk for 2 km & balance on two feet independently

 N = 44 (10 cardiovascular, 10 coordination, 10 control), Age 63–79 years (M = 69.6 ± 3.8), 64% female, education M = 12.4 years Not reported Intervention (2 groups):

  • Cardiovascular training: 35- to 50-min walking sessions 3x/week at target heartrate (gradually increasing in time) monitored by exercise leader

  • Coordination training: 60-min full-body group sessions 3x/week monitored by exercise leader

Control

  • Relaxation & stretching: 60-min group sessions 3x/week monitored by exercise leader

 1 year Not reported