Expect Emporia’s LEAP! Program to have another recruitment effort — soon — to take part in a special study on physical activity’s impact on brain health.
LEAP! was announced as a participant in the COMET, or Combined Exercise Trial study back in February. LEAP! Director Erin Blocker says there are a lot of benefits for those involved, both immediate and down the road.
Participants must be between ages 65 and 80, be able to speak and read English conversationally, be medically cleared, have reliable transportation, are “cognitively normal” and are “underactive.” Some — but not all — participants will be compensated up to $520 if they complete all assessment visits, while participants will get study-paid memberships to a KU-approved exercise facility — in this case, Emporia Fitness.
With a lot of information now available about the brain’s response to aerobic training, the overall goal of this study is to see how the brain responds to resistance training, cardio, core infusion training and a combination of resistance-aerobic training.
The study is organized by the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and KU Center for Physical Activity and Weight Management. At least 25 participants are needed, but Blocker encourages any qualifying individual to reach out.
For more information, call 913-588-0555.
