# Concurrent Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training to Prevent Alzheimer's in at-risk Older Adults

> **NIH NIH R44** · MOAI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC · 2024 · $808,635

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects more than six million Americans currently and is projected to affect 14 million
at a cost of $1.2 trillion in 2050. Despite its tremendous impacts and the limited influence of pharmacological
therapies, attention has been brought to non-pharmacological interventions as promising therapeutic strategies
for the prevention of cognitive decline. Aerobic exercise and cognitive training, particularly when in combination
represent important behavioral interventions for cognition in persons at risk for AD. Both preventative medicine
therapies are cost-effective strategies and aim to preserve the mental abilities, daily living performance, and
cognitive well-being of individuals in the early stages of the disease. The proposed project will build on findings
from the Phase II pilot where the feasibility and efficacy of Virtual Reality Cognitive Training (VRCT) combined
with concurrent aerobic cycling (Exergame) was demonstrated in a clinical trial. This clinical trial was
conducted utilizing a supervised intervention model, which is important for demonstrating preliminary feasibility
and efficacy, but has limitations for addressing real-world feasibility and sustainability. Currently, the top two
reported barriers for participation in community or facility-based, preventive medicine therapies such as
exercise and cognitive training include burdens of travel or time commitment. Recently, advancements in
technology have allowed for home-based (asynchronous) telerehabilitation interventions such as exercise
training to be utilized as a supplement or replacement to conventional, synchronous rehabilitation programs.
Although telerehabilitation is a growing form of therapy, it has yet to be studied in persons at risk for AD or with
Exergame therapy. In order for Exergames to be a sustainable preventive medicine approach to AD, its
feasibility and efficacy in a home-based (asynchronous) setting is needed. In order to expand our reach and
marketability of the Exergame and combat these participation barriers, the sustainability and efficacy of
Exergames in a home-based environment must be addressed. In support of expanding the reach and
marketability of the Exergame, the purpose of this project is to: 1) develop a fully-featured version of the VRCT
aspect of the Exergame that can be installed and updated remotely in order to support home-based use and,
2) assess the feasibility, efficacy, and sustainability of the Exergame in a home-based, asynchronous
telerehabilitation setting via a clinical trial. Once the fully-featured Exergame with remote installation and
updating capacity has been completed, the clinical trial, using a 2:2 factorial design will randomize 104
community-dwelling older adults at risk of AD to one of four arms for 3 months: home-based (asynchronous)
Exergames, supervised Exergame, home-based asynchronous aerobic exercise, or supervised aerobic
exercise. This project is innovative as 1) it...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934547
- **Project number:** 5R44AG082637-02
- **Recipient organization:** MOAI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Olu Olofinboba
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $808,635
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934547

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934547, Concurrent Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training to Prevent Alzheimer's in at-risk Older Adults (5R44AG082637-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934547. Licensed CC0.

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