Home › Research › Prevention trials
Cognitive–exercise dual-task training delays natural aging/d-galactose-induced cognitive decline in mice
Zi-Man Zhu, Teng-Teng Dai, Rong Zhang, Pei-Ling Huang, Jilin Wu, Li Song, Weijun Gong. Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters, 2026-01-23
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Age-related upregulation in microRNA (miR)-204 and downregulation in long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) were observed to disrupt Ephrin-B1 (EFNB1)/EphB2 interactions, leading to reduced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway activation. These alterations were implicated in the pathogenesis of aging-related cognitive decline. Timely interventions, especially cognitive–exercise dual-task, were found to attenuate these phenomena, thereby delaying the progression of aging-related cognitive decline. Timely intervention during the aging process can effectively delay the progression of cognitive decline. The effects of cognitive–exercise dual-task training may surpass those of single-task interventions with either cognitive training or exercise alone.
Key findings
- Age-related upregulation in microRNA (miR)-204 and downregulation in long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) were observed to disrupt Ephrin-B1 (EFNB1)/EphB2 interactions, leading to reduced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway activation.
- These alterations were implicated in the pathogenesis of aging-related cognitive decline.
- Timely interventions, especially cognitive–exercise dual-task, were found to attenuate these phenomena, thereby delaying the progression of aging-related cognitive decline.
- Timely intervention during the aging process can effectively delay the progression of cognitive decline.
- The effects of cognitive–exercise dual-task training may surpass those of single-task interventions with either cognitive training or exercise alone.
Why it matters
In this animal study with mice, cognitive-exercise dual-task training was found to delay aging-related cognitive decline, possibly through effects on microRNA-204, lncRNA NEAT1 and related signaling pathways. These are animal findings and cannot be directly applied to treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease in people.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 33/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Weijun Gong: h-index 6 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Capital Medical University: institution h-index 643 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41578175) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 33 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s11658-026-00860-9
- PubMed: 41578175
- Original source →
- Free full text: Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zhu, Z.-M., Dai, T.-T., Zhang, R., Huang, P.-L., Wu, J., Song, L., et al. (2026). Cognitive–exercise dual-task training delays natural aging/d-galactose-induced cognitive decline in mice. Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-026-00860-9
Vancouver
Zhu Z.-M, Dai T.-T, Zhang R, Huang P.-L, Wu J, Song L, et al. Cognitive–exercise dual-task training delays natural aging/d-galactose-induced cognitive decline in mice. Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters. 2026. doi:10.1186/s11658-026-00860-9. PMID: 41578175.
BibTeX
@article{zhu2026-41578175,
author = {Zhu, Zi-Man and Dai, Teng-Teng and Zhang, Rong and Huang, Pei-Ling and Wu, Jilin and Song, Li and Gong, Weijun},
title = {{Cognitive–exercise dual-task training delays natural aging/d-galactose-induced cognitive decline in mice}},
journal = {Cellular \& Molecular Biology Letters},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1186/s11658-026-00860-9},
pmid = {41578175},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-026-00860-9}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Prevention trials
Also tagged “cognitive-function”
1,118 studies in the library carry the topic tag “cognitive-function”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,118 tagged studies.