Combined physical and cognitive training

4 papers7 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

4 independent labs in 4 countries

Funders: National Health and Medical Research Council and 1 more

Human trial3

Outcomes

Cognitive function

upin humans3

3 studies

Combined physical and cognitive training improves cognitive function in humans (T0 = 15.1 ± 4.8 to T7 = 13.4 ± 5.0, p = 0.01).
“Training improved ADAS-cog scores (T0 = 15.1 ± 4.8 to T7 = 13.4 ± 5.0, p = 0.01)”
Human trialmild cognitive impairment7 months
Combined physical and cognitive training enhances telomere length in mild cognitive impairment patients
BMC geriatrics31 Mar 2026
Combined physical and cognitive training improves cognitive function in humans.
“significant improvements in both physical and cognitive aspects, such as balance, gait, upper and lower body strength, flexibility, physical function, cognitive function, cognitive impairment, verbal fluency, and executive functions”
Human trialmild cognitive impairment12-weekn = 95
Effect of combined physical-cognitive training on the functional and cognitive capacity of older people with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial
BMC medicine8 Jul 2024
Combined physical and cognitive training improves cognitive function in humans (Hedges' g = 0.22, 95 % CI 0.14 to 0.30).
“the effect of any combined intervention relative to control was small and statistically significant for overall cognitive (k = 41, Hedges' g = 0.22, 95 % CI 0.14 to 0.30)”
Reviewcognitively healthy older adults and mild cognitive impairment
Combined physical and cognitive training for older adults with and without cognitive impairment: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Ageing research reviews26 Nov 2020

Physical function

upin humans2

2 studies

Combined physical and cognitive training improves physical function in humans.
“significant improvements in both physical and cognitive aspects, such as balance, gait, upper and lower body strength, flexibility, physical function, cognitive function, cognitive impairment, verbal fluency, and executive functions”
Human trialmild cognitive impairment12-weekn = 95
Effect of combined physical-cognitive training on the functional and cognitive capacity of older people with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial
BMC medicine8 Jul 2024
Combined physical and cognitive training improves physical function in humans (g = 0.25, 95 % CI 0.13 to 0.37).
“and physical function (k = 32, g = 0.25, 95 % CI 0.13 to 0.37).”
Reviewcognitively healthy older adults and mild cognitive impairment
Combined physical and cognitive training for older adults with and without cognitive impairment: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Ageing research reviews26 Nov 2020

Telomere length

upin humans1

1 study

Combined physical and cognitive training increases telomere length in humans (T0 = 0.97 ± 0.21 to T7 = 1.04 ± 0.23, p = 0.04).
“Training improved ADAS-cog scores (T0 = 15.1 ± 4.8 to T7 = 13.4 ± 5.0, p = 0.01) and increased LTL (T0 = 0.97 ± 0.21 to T7 = 1.04 ± 0.23, p = 0.04).”
Human trialmild cognitive impairmentleukocyte7 months
Combined physical and cognitive training enhances telomere length in mild cognitive impairment patients
BMC geriatrics31 Mar 2026