The eBACH Study

STUDY BASICS

Are you a relatively healthy adult between the ages of 26 and 58? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to help learn more about how physical activity affects brain and heart health. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Regular physical activity has been shown to improve physical and mental health, but the relationship between activity and health is not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to help researchers learn more about how physical activity affects the brain and the heart. Researchers hope their findings will lead to a better understanding of the connection between physical activity and health, and may lead to better ways to use physical activity to prevent and treat health problems in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Ages 26-58
• Willing and able to have an MRI scan
• Fluent in English
• Not currently undergoing treatment or taking medication for high blood pressure, heart disease, or neurological conditions
• Not using insulin for treatment of diabetes
• Not physically active, but able to move without pain or an assistive device

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participating in this study involves nine visits over the course of 12-16 months. Participants will be randomly assigned (like a flip of a coin) to participate in either an aerobic exercise group or a health information group. The aerobic exercise group will participate in 3 weekly exercise sessions with a personal trainer for a period of 12 months. The health information group will participate in daily life monitoring using physical activity trackers every 6 weeks for a period of 12 months. Participants will also be asked to complete questionnaires and interviews, have physical assessments, provide blood and hair samples, and have MRI brain scans.