IMAT Quality in Aging

Part of paid clinical trials in St Louis, Missouri.

Sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine
Study ID
NCT07506681
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Aging

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
65 Years - 80 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Calf muscle strengthening — OTHER
    The calf intervention will be delivered 3x/wk for 12 weeks over zoom, in small groups. There are 3 exercises 1) standing heel rise, 2) seated heel rise, and 3) long sitting ankle plantarflexion. The exercises will be overloaded using a weighted vest, body weight, and/or theraband. Exercises will be progressed as strength improves.

Study Details

This study will test the central hypothesis that fat within the muscle, or intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), exhibits elevated damage and pro-inflammatory signaling with aging, both of which are reduced by progressive resistance exercise (PRE). Sixteen older adults 65-80 years old will be recruited and complete a 12 week calf PRE intervention. Calf muscle strength, composition (measured by computed tomography) and muscle biopsies will be collected before and after the intervention. Histology, transcriptomic and secretomic tests will be completed to assess signs of damage and inflammation.

Key Dates

Start date
Apr 15, 2026
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Jan 31, 2028
Completion
Jan 31, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
16 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Calf muscle strengthening
    Older adults will complete a 3x/wk, 12 week calf strengthening exercise over zoom. The intervention will be delivered in small groups. Older adult baseline data will be compared to post-intervention data to understand the impact of exercise on aging muscle and fat within the muscle

Primary Outcome Measure

Biopsy: Senescent cell density [ Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (approximately 14 weeks after baseline) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Washington UniversitySt LouisMissouri63108
Mary Hastings, PT, DPT, MSCI, ATC
[email protected]
314-286-1433
[email protected]
Mary Hastings, PT, DPT, MSCI, ATC (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)
Gretchen Meyer, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

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