Suspended

Move&FGMove and Feel Good : Effects of Intensive Physical Training on Brain Plasticity, Cognition and Psychological Well-being. "Effets de l'entraînement Physique Intensif Sur la plasticité cérébrale, la Cognition et le Bien être Psychologique".

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What is being tested

Exercise

+ Relaxation

Other
Who is being recruted

Anxiety Disorders+10

+ Behavior

+ Mental Disorders

From 9 to 30 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Interventional
Study Start: September 2016
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorUniversité Catholique de Louvain
Study ContactAnne G De Volder, MD, PhDMore contacts
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: September 1, 2016

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

The investigators wish to document the benefit of an intensive and structured exercise program in youth with the aim to identify the most effective programs that can improve psychological well-being, especially reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms and improving self-esteem. This study targets participants aged 9 to 30 years and included in an education program (from 4th Grade to undergraduate university or college). The investigators propose to perform a prospective, randomized, clinical study involving participants with mood disorders (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) for medical coding: ICD-10-CM F32.9), anxiety (ICD-10-CM F41.9), specific learning disabilities (ADHD hyperactivity (ICD-10-CM F90.2), dyslexia-dyscalculia-dyspraxia (ICD-10-CM F81.0, F81.2, F81.81)) and healthy subjects equally distributed for confounding variables (age, gender, subclinical or clinical depressive symptoms). The participants (ambulatory or inpatients) will be enrolled either in an experimental, intensive and structured aerobic exercise regime or in a active control activity of stretching and relaxation conducted in parallel. The effects of this program will be assessed for i) psychological symptoms, using questionnaires, ii) cognitive function, particularly attention skills and executive functions, in neuropsychological tasks, and iii) physical abilities (through physical testing). To investigate the therapeutic value of exercise in the prevention of depressive and anxiety symptoms and in the treatment of mood disorders in the young student is a necessity imposed by the current outbreak of depression among adolescents and young people at school. To promote the exercise medicine based on the level of evidence in this specific domain, rigorous experimental studies must be performed. Depending on the results, a medical imaging will be proposed to participants at the end of the behavioral study. This will be a functional magnetic resonance imaging in physiological activation condition (performing a behavioral task such as a Stroop task suited to the subject's age), performed before and after intensive physical training.

Official TitleMove and Feel Good : Effects of Intensive Physical Training on Brain Plasticity, Cognition and Psychological Well-being. "Effets de l'entraînement Physique Intensif Sur la plasticité cérébrale, la Cognition et le Bien être Psychologique".
NCT02970825
Principal SponsorUniversité Catholique de Louvain
Study ContactAnne G De Volder, MD, PhDMore contacts
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

100 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.



Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

From 9 to 30 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Anxiety DisordersBehaviorMental DisordersBehavioral SymptomsCommunication DisordersDepressionLearning DisabilitiesNervous System DiseasesNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsNeurobehavioral ManifestationsNeurodevelopmental Disorders

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * involved in education program * absence of contra-indication of physical activity * does accept randomization * no history of neurological illness or brain trauma * no history of psychiatric illness (exclusion of psychotic symptoms) * absence of contra-indication to magnetic resonance imaging * no uncorrected sensory impairment (must understand the therapist) * absence of conduct disorders (violence, school bullying) Exclusion Criteria: * does not provide informed consent * unstable diabetes * Body mass index above P95 (or above 30 for adults) (except medical authorization) * coagulation disorders * severe and unstable asthma * history of hearth malformation or heart disease * medical conditions prohibiting sport or contraindicating physical activity

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

2 intervention groups are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups

Group I

Experimental
The experimental, intensive exercise regime will include 50-min sessions four times a week during five weeks (for a total of about 17 hours) combining structured aerobic exercise (at least 20 minutes jogging and moderate to high intensity active games) and anaerobic lactic resistance exercise (power training with gymn weights).

Group II

Active Comparator
The control activity will include 50-min sessions four times a week during five weeks (for a total of about 17 hours) combining mindfulness, stretching and low intensity active games (breath control, proprioception, walking, social relaxation, flexibility training).

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Recruiting

Université catholique de Louvain

Brussels, BelgiumOpen Université catholique de Louvain in Google Maps
SuspendedOne Study Center