B-POC Training for Physical Fitness

Overseen By Brad Fawver, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)

Disqualifiers: Failed fitness test, Cognitive impairment, Pregnancy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 18

Duration: 6 weeks

66 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Brain-Physical Optimization Conditioning (B-POC) aims to enhance physical performance by expanding the traditional focus of endurance training from purely physical training to the domain of cognitive endurance (Staiano et al., 2015; Dallaway et al., 2017). The current study seeks to isolate neurocognitive mechanisms of performance, particularly under high stress (e.g., physical or cognitive load) conditions, and to develop corresponding cognitive optimization tools.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if your medication impairs cognitive function, it might affect your eligibility.

What data supports the effectiveness of the B-POC treatment for physical fitness?

Research shows that physical exercise, including high-intensity training, can improve physical fitness and quality of life in cancer patients. This suggests that the B-POC treatment, which involves physical conditioning, may also be effective in enhancing physical fitness. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the B-POC treatment different from other treatments for improving physical fitness?

The B-POC treatment is unique because it combines physical training with mentally challenging tasks to improve endurance and resilience to mental fatigue, unlike traditional physical training alone. This approach, known as Brain Endurance Training (BET), enhances performance by improving brain function and oxygenation, offering a novel way to boost physical fitness. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy active duty soldiers aged 18-40 who can participate for the entire study duration. It's not suitable for pregnant women, those who failed a fitness test, have physical limitations preventing intense exercise or cognitive tasks, impaired cognition from medication or illness, or were advised against aerobic exercise.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a healthy, active duty soldier.

Available for study duration

I am between 18 and 40 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Have been advised by a medical professional not to engage in aerobic exercise

My thinking or memory is affected by medication, injury, or illness.

I cannot do intense workouts or tasks like running, biking, or computer work.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo aerobic exercise and a computerized task for 45 minutes, 3 times per week, for 6 weeks

6 weeks

18 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in performance and physiological measures after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• B-POC high load intervention
• B-POC low load intervention

Trial Overview The study tests Brain-Physical Optimization Conditioning (B-POC) with two levels of intensity: high load and low load interventions. B-POC combines physical endurance training with cognitive challenges to improve overall performance under stress.

Participant Groups

Group I: B-POC high load Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

aerobic exercise \[heartrate range (HRR) 70-75% of max HR, on treadmill\] and a computerized high-load task for 45 minutes, 3 times per week, for 6 weeks

Group II: B-POC low load intervention Placebo Group 1 Intervention

aerobic exercise \[heartrate range (HRR) 70-75% of max HR, on treadmill\] and a computerized low-load task for 45 minutes, 3 times per week, for 6 weeks

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)

Lead Sponsor

Trials

111

Recruited

108,000+

Findings from Research

A study involving 19 breast cancer patients compared the effects of a supervised exercise program on physical fitness and quality of life, showing that recent-term patients (14-30 months post-diagnosis) had lower fitness levels than later-term patients (74-92 months post-diagnosis).

After 16 weeks of exercise, only the recent-term patients showed significant improvements in physical fitness and health-related quality of life, indicating that regular exercise can aid in recovery and enhance well-being after breast cancer diagnosis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health-related quality of life and physical fitness in breast cancer patients: the impact of a supervised physical exercise program in women with no exercise experience. Antunes, P., Esteves, D., Nunes, C., et al.[2020]

Integrating exercise into cancer care is a new approach that can enhance patient survival and quality of life by positively influencing factors like the immune system and metabolism.

The emerging field of 'exercise oncology' is exploring how aerobic exercise can affect cancer incidence and progression, suggesting that personalized exercise interventions may improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical Activity as the Best Supportive Care in Cancer: The Clinician's and the Researcher's Perspectives. Torregrosa, C., Chorin, F., Beltran, EEM., et al.[2022]

Digital physical activity interventions significantly improve physical activity duration, functional capacity, and quality of life in breast cancer patients and survivors, based on a systematic review of 18 studies.

The meta-analysis revealed a strong effect size for total physical activity (SMD = 0.71) and moderate improvements in functional capacity (SMD = 0.38) and quality of life (SMD = 0.45), indicating these interventions are effective in enhancing overall well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Digital Physical Activity Interventions for Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Kang, H., Moon, M.[2023]

A meta-analysis of 56 studies found that behavioral techniques significantly reduce fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress in breast cancer patients, indicating their effectiveness in improving psychosocial functioning.

Physical exercise also showed significant benefits, improving fatigue, depression, body image, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), suggesting that both interventions are valuable for enhancing the well-being of breast cancer survivors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of behavioral techniques and physical exercise on psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients and survivors--a meta-analysis. Duijts, SF., Faber, MM., Oldenburg, HS., et al.[2022]

High-intensity (HI) exercise during cancer treatment significantly improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) more than low-to-moderate intensity (LMI) exercise, based on a study of 255 women with breast cancer.

Older women (61 years or older) and those who adhered more than 58% to the exercise regimen experienced greater benefits from HI exercise, suggesting that age and adherence are important factors in maximizing the effectiveness of exercise during cancer treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring Moderators of the Effect of High vs. Low-to-Moderate Intensity Exercise on Cardiorespiratory Fitness During Breast Cancer Treatment - Analyses of a Subsample From the Phys-Can RCT. Bjørke, ACH., Buffart, LM., Raastad, T., et al.[2022]

Engaging in brain endurance training (BET) before physical training significantly improves endurance performance by 24%, compared to a 12% improvement with physical training alone, based on a study involving 24 participants over five weeks.

The enhanced performance from prior BET is associated with increased prefrontal oxygenation during exercise, suggesting that mental training can effectively boost physical endurance by optimizing brain function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prior brain endurance training improves endurance exercise performance. Dallaway, N., Lucas, S., Marks, J., et al.[2023]

In a study involving 22 professional football players, those who underwent brain endurance training (BET) alongside physical training showed significant improvements in both physical and cognitive performance compared to a control group that only received physical training.

The BET group demonstrated faster sprinting times and better agility, as well as improved cognitive responses, indicating that combining mental tasks with physical training can enhance overall athletic performance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brain Endurance Training Improves Physical, Cognitive, and Multitasking Performance in Professional Football Players. Staiano, W., Merlini, M., Romagnoli, M., et al.[2023]

Natural live-high train-low (LHTL) is currently the most effective protocol for improving endurance performance in both elite and subelite athletes, while certain artificial protocols also show benefits for subelite athletes.

The study found that maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) increases significantly with the LHTH protocol in subelite athletes, but elite athletes may experience a reduction in VO2max with the same protocol, highlighting the need for tailored training approaches.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sea-level exercise performance following adaptation to hypoxia: a meta-analysis. Bonetti, DL., Hopkins, WG.[2022]

Ultra-endurance athletes, who engage in over 1000 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, show significantly increased overall brain volume, including both grey and white matter, compared to sedentary individuals who only engage in about 18 minutes of activity per week.

Despite the overall increase in brain volume, ultra-endurance athletes exhibit smaller regional grey matter volumes in specific areas such as the primary sensory and motor cortex, suggesting a complex relationship between extreme physical activity and brain structure that requires further investigation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Structural brain differences between ultra-endurance athletes and sedentary persons. Paruk, T., Rauch, L., Jankiewicz, M., et al.[2022]

After a nine-week training program involving high-intensity training modalities, significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were observed in the HIFT and HIIT groups following a Graded Exercise Test, indicating these training types may enhance neurotrophic support in the brain.

Despite improvements in overall fitness (VO2max) across all groups, resting BDNF levels did not show consistent increases and were reduced after certain high-intensity tests, suggesting that the effects of high-intensity training on BDNF are complex and depend on the type and intensity of exercise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of four different forms of high intensity training on BDNF response to Wingate and Graded Exercise Test. Murawska-Ciałowicz, E., de Assis, GG., Clemente, FM., et al.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health-related quality of life and physical fitness in breast cancer patients: the impact of a supervised physical exercise program in women with no exercise experience. [2020]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical Activity as the Best Supportive Care in Cancer: The Clinician's and the Researcher's Perspectives. [2022]

3. Korea (South) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Digital Physical Activity Interventions for Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [2023]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of behavioral techniques and physical exercise on psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients and survivors--a meta-analysis. [2022]

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring Moderators of the Effect of High vs. Low-to-Moderate Intensity Exercise on Cardiorespiratory Fitness During Breast Cancer Treatment - Analyses of a Subsample From the Phys-Can RCT. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prior brain endurance training improves endurance exercise performance. [2023]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brain Endurance Training Improves Physical, Cognitive, and Multitasking Performance in Professional Football Players. [2023]

8. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sea-level exercise performance following adaptation to hypoxia: a meta-analysis. [2022]

9. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Structural brain differences between ultra-endurance athletes and sedentary persons. [2022]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of four different forms of high intensity training on BDNF response to Wingate and Graded Exercise Test. [2023]