Effect of aerobic exercise combined with meditation on cognitive frailty: study protocol for a parallel group randomised controlled trial.
Sijia Xia, Feng Chen, Wenju Wang, Tao Jiang, Jingfang Zhu, Lei Yang, Minguang Yang, Qing Xiang, Weilin Liu
BMJ Open June 27, 2025 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094645 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 140 |
| Population | Individuals with cognitive frailty |
| Interventions | Aerobic exercise Meditation |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognition Exercise Randomized controlled trial Cognitive frailty Cognitive decline Physical decline Mental decline Cognitive impairment Physical activity Physical training Physical function Mental training Mind-body practice Rct Clinical trial Intervention study Controlled study |
| Key findings | The study aims to determine whether combined aerobic exercise and meditation yields significantly greater improvements in physical and cognitive functions than either practice alone in individuals with cognitive frailty. |
Abstract
Cognitive frailty (CF) is a clinical syndrome characterised by the concurrent occurrence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment, excluding Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Recent studies have shown that combining aerobic exercise (AE) and meditation (ME) effectively enhances both physical and cognitive functions in individuals with CF. The study aims to determine whether the combined application of AE and ME can elicit significantly greater improvements in physical and cognitive functions among individuals with CF compared with the independent practice of either AE or ME alone. The research design employs a four-arm, assessor-blind randomised controlled trial. A total of 140 qualified subjects will be randomly allocated among four groups: AE, ME, AE combined with ME and a health education control group, ensuring equivalent distribution across groups. The intervention phase of the study will last for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes will include the Edmonton Frailty Scale, while secondary outcomes will encompass evaluations of cognitive functions (including global cognitive function, memory, attention, executive function and visuospatial abilities), physical performance (measured by gait speed and lower extremity strength), subjective experiences (such as fatigue, quality of life, mindfulness, mood and sleep quality), as well as structural and functional MRI assessments and serum biomarkers. Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and following the 12-week intervention. The Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of the Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine granted ethical approval for the study (2023KY-012-02). The findings will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at academic conferences. ChiCTR2300073563.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Mindfulness Meditation Training and Executive Control Network Resting State Functional Connectivity: A Randomized Controlled Trial Psychosomatic Medicine March 22, 2017
- The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Neuropsychology Review August 4, 2021
- The neuroscience of meditation: classification, phenomenology, correlates, and mechanisms. Progress in Brain Research 2019
- Effects of Meditation and Music-Listening on Blood Biomarkers of Cellular Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease in Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial Journal of Alzheimer's Disease October 11, 2018
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Older Adults With Stress Disorders and Neurocognitive Difficulties: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry July 2017
and 2 more in the library