---
title: Improve cognition through aerobic exercise
nct_id: NCT07299279
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07299279"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07299279"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:03:28.145Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Improve cognition through aerobic exercise

**Goal (in five words):** Improve cognition through aerobic exercise

**Official Title:** Movement Improves Brain Health and Cognition in Parkinson's Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT07299279](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07299279)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS
- **Target Enrollment:** 150 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-06-09
- **Completion Date:** 2028-04-30
- **Conditions:** Parkinson Disease
- **Interventions:** Aerobic exercise for >_75 minutes/week of vigorous aerobic exercise or >_ 150 minutes/week of moderate aerobic exercise in at least two weekly sessions, for 12 m
- **Intervention Types:** BEHAVIORAL

## Summary For Families

The goal is to find out whether a year of regular aerobic exercise can improve brain health and cognitive function in people with Parkinson’s who have mild cognitive impairment. Participants will do either more than 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity or more than 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity in at least two weekly sessions for 12 months, with the idea that higher heart rate and blood flow boost protective growth factors like BDNF, support neuroplasticity, and work alongside usual Parkinson’s medications rather than replace them. The trial is looking for people aged 30 to 80 with PD at Hoehn and Yahr stages 1,3 who meet MDS level II criteria for PD-MCI, are not already exercising above the study thresholds, can safely do vigorous exercise, and can give informed consent.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 30 Years
- **Maximum age:** 80 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients aged between 30 and 80 years, with a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) according to the Movement Disorder Society (MDS) diagnostic criteria and a Hoehn \& Yahr (H\&Y) stage between 1 and 3, as well as a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) according to MDS-PD-MCI level II criteria, will be consecutively enrolled during routine clinical practice at the hospitals of the Principal Investigator (PI) and Partner
2. The inclusion criteria for the study's physical activity intervention are based on the guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine. To be eligible for the study, potential participants must not engage in more than 120 minutes/week of moderate-intensity exercise or more than 60 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity exercise. Enrolled patients must be able to provide informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant patients, patients with medical conditions that prevent vigorous physical exercise, those with oncological or autoimmune comorbidities, or those taking immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory medications will be excluded from the study
```

## Locations (1)

- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Rome, Italy _(44.9936, 11.1064)_

## Central Contacts

- Paolo Calabresi, Prof — (CONTACT) — +390630154303 — paolo.calabresi@policlinicogemelli.it
- Flavia Torlizzi — (CONTACT) — +390630155701 — flavia.torlizzi@policlinicogemelli.it

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07299279*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07299279*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07299279*