ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT06600269

Cycling-Based Priming Coordination Training for Enhancing Ataxia Recovery and Brain Plasticity

Record copied from ClinicalTrials.gov: Oct 10, 2026AI summaries generated: Sep 17, 2026

The Effect of Cycling Priming Coordination Training on Ataxia and Brain Plasticity

StatusRecruitingThe study is currently enrolling participants. Only the study team can say whether a particular person can join.The registry record was last updated on Oct 8, 2024, about 2 years ago, so the status shown may be out of date. The study team or the registry can confirm.
Study typeInterventionalA study in which researchers assign participants to one or more interventions, such as a drug, procedure, device, behavioural programme or other approach, to measure their effects.
Age18 years old and older
SexAll
LocationTaiwan
AI summaryWhat this study is about, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

This randomized crossover study evaluates short cycling 'priming' given before coordination training in people with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Participants will complete 15-minute cycling sessions three times per week for two weeks or a control condition, with assessments at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. Outcomes include measures of motor performance, brain excitability, balance, gait, fatigue, and sleep.

What it is studying. The study is testing whether brief cycling exercise used as a priming strategy alters how people with SCA respond to coordination training. It examines immediate effects on motor learning and cortical excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation measures (such as motor evoked potentials, intracortical facilitation and inhibition), and explores changes in functional mobility, balance, and patient-reported fatigue and sleep over a 4-week period.

What the researchers hope to learn. Scientific goals: 1) Investigate the priming effect and neural mechanisms of acute cycling exercise on coordination training in people with SCA. 2) Explore the longer-term impact of cycling priming on cortical plasticity and functional mobility.

What this study is about

The study's own summary, as published on ClinicalTrials.gov. Underlined terms have a short explanation.

Effective walking and balance require not only lower limb muscle strength but also coordinated movement. For individuals with Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA), rehabilitation strategies targeting coordination are essential to improving mobility and reducing the burden on caregivers. However, evidence-based rehabilitation approaches for ataxia remain limited. Recent studies suggest that improvements in motor learning are often accompanied by changes in cortical excitability. Abnormal cortical excitability in SCA patients may hinder rehabilitation efforts, yet priming strategies-such as exercise or specific stimuli-have been shown to enhance motor learning by modulating cortical excitability. Cycling exercise, in particular, has demonstrated the potential to improve coordination and influence cortical plasticity in individuals with SCA, making it a promising priming strategy for coordination training. This clinical trial aims to:

  • Investigate the priming effect and neural mechanisms of acute cycling exercise on coordination training in patients with SCA.
  • Explore the long-term impact of priming cycling training on cortical plasticity and functional mobility in individuals with SCA.

This study seeks to provide insights into optimized rehabilitation interventions that could enhance the quality of life and independence for people with SCA.

Interventions being studied

Being studied in this trial does not mean the treatment or procedure is approved or available for this condition.

Procedure
  • Cycling Training

Eligibility

The criteria exactly as listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Only the study team can say whether they apply to you.

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinical diagnosis of SCA.

Exclusion criteria

  • Musculoskeletal injuries on legs
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Any peripheral or central nervous system injury or disease patients.

Study description and what participation involves

The registry record has no detailed description beyond the summary above.

AI summaryWhat participation may involve, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

You will be randomly assigned in a crossover design to periods of short cycling training or to a control period without intervention; because of the crossover design, participants will experience both conditions at different times. The cycling training consists of 15-minute sessions, three times per week for two weeks. You will have assessments at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks that include walking and balance tests (for example SARA, Berg Balance Scale, Time Up and Go, 10‑meter walk), reaction-time and motor-control tasks, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to record motor-evoked potentials and intracortical measures, and questionnaires on fatigue and sleep. If you are in a control period you will not do the cycling training but will still complete the same assessments.

How the study is structured. This is an interventional, randomized crossover trial with no masking. Participants are assigned to receive cycling training sessions (15 minutes, three times per week for two weeks) or a control condition in different study periods, and each participant crosses over between conditions. Key measurements are taken at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks to compare motor performance, brain excitability, balance, gait, fatigue, and sleep.

Questions you could ask

These questions are suggestions for a conversation with the study team or your own clinician, not advice.

  • The listed sites are in Taiwan. Is any of them reachable for me, and does the study help with travel?
  • Which of the eligibility criteria would need to be checked with tests before I could join?

More on spinocerebellar ataxia

Clinical trials30 trials listed for spinocerebellar ataxiaEvery trial the registry lists for spinocerebellar ataxia, with recruitment status, phase and sites, updated from ClinicalTrials.gov.See all trials →Research updatesWhat changed in spinocerebellar ataxia researchLatest monthly update: September 2026. Includes: NBP trial result. New research summarized each month in plain language, with links to every source paper.Read the latest update →

Important dates

Study start
Oct 4, 2024
Primary completion
August 2026 (estimated)
Study completion
August 2026 (estimated)
Target enrollment
40 participants (estimated)
Last updated on registry
Oct 8, 2024
Data verified
Oct 10, 2026

Sponsor and research team

The lead sponsor funds and oversees the trial. A pharmaceutical or biotech company sponsor typically means the study is testing that company's drug or device; a hospital, university, or government agency usually indicates investigator-initiated or publicly funded research.

Lead sponsor
Chang Gung University
Principal investigator
Ya-Ju Chang, Professor
Chang Gung University

Participating sites (1)

Terms used on this page · explanations by MedicalUpdates.ai

Inclusion Criteria
The conditions a person must meet to be considered for the study, for example a confirmed diagnosis, an age range or a test result.
Exclusion Criteria
The conditions that rule a person out even if they meet the inclusion criteria, for example other illnesses, certain medicines or pregnancy.

The study record on this page is reproduced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, where it was submitted by the study sponsor. MedicalUpdates.ai does not own this content, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH, or the U.S. Government, and does not verify the record. Plain-language notes, the glossary and the questions above are added by this site; text in the boxes marked "AI summary" was written by an AI model and may contain errors. Registry records change over time. Check the original record for the current version and discuss eligibility or participation with a qualified healthcare professional.

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