Home › Research › Treatments
Resistance training and subcortical vascular cognitive impairment: A 12-month randomized trial
Liu-Ambrose T, Falck RS, Dao E, Crockett RA, Barha CK, Silva NCBS, et al.. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2026
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction It is unknown whether progressive resistance training (PRT) improves cognitive function in adults with cerebral small vessel disease and mild cognitive impairment (i.e., subcortical vascular cognitive impairment [SVCI]). Methods We conducted a 12-month randomized trial comparing PRT versus balance and tone exercises (BAT) on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Plus (ADAS-Cog-Plus). Results Ninety-one participants were randomized (PRT = 45; BAT = 46); 76 completed the trial. Adherence was not different between groups (p = 0.18). At 12 months, PRT significantly improved ADAS-Cog-Plus scores (estimated mean difference: -0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI: -0.35, -0.01]; p = 0.04). Planned contrasts stratified by sex showed a significant PRT effect on ADAS-Cog-Plus scores for females (mean difference: -0.27; 95% CI: [-0.49, -0.05]; p = 0.02), but not for males. PRT also significantly reduced C-reactive protein (estimated mean difference: -2.93; 95% CI: [-5.36, -0.49]; p = 0.02). No significant differences were observed for other secondary outcomes. Discussion PRT may have a small beneficial effect on cognitive function in SVCI. Clinical trial registration This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02669394).
Key findings
- Methods We conducted a 12-month randomized trial comparing PRT versus balance and tone exercises (BAT) on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Plus (ADAS-Cog-Plus).
- Results Ninety-one participants were randomized (PRT = 45; BAT = 46); 76 completed the trial.
- At 12 months, PRT significantly improved ADAS-Cog-Plus scores (estimated mean difference: -0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI: -0.35, -0.01]; p = 0.04).
- Planned contrasts stratified by sex showed a significant PRT effect on ADAS-Cog-Plus scores for females (mean difference: -0.27; 95% CI: [-0.49, -0.05]; p = 0.02), but not for males.
- PRT also significantly reduced C-reactive protein (estimated mean difference: -2.93; 95% CI: [-5.36, -0.49]; p = 0.02).
Why it matters
In this 12-month randomized trial of 91 adults with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment, progressive resistance training significantly improved cognitive scores compared with balance and tone exercises, and also reduced C-reactive protein. The effect was small and was seen in females but not males, so it suggests a possible modest benefit rather than a cure or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Treatments →
Study details
- Study designRCT
- Participants91
- Effect sizeADAS-Cog-Plus mean difference -0.18 (95% CI -0.35 to -0.01; P=0.04)
- Evidence strengthEarly
Limitations
Small sample with 15 dropouts; single site; borderline significance; other secondary outcomes did not differ.
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. We have no data on senior author's track record and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 61 of the 94 points we could judge it on, which is 65 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 2 / 5 | Rated “early” 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 | 1 / 4 | 91 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.0× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Roger C Tam holds only 6 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41795685) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 61 / 94 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 61 of the 94 points we could judge it on is 65 out of 100. |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Liu-Ambrose, T., Falck, R. S., Dao, E., Crockett, R. A., Barha, C. K., Silva, N. C. B. S., et al. (2026). Resistance training and subcortical vascular cognitive impairment: A 12-month randomized trial. Alzheimer's & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71245
Vancouver
Liu-Ambrose T, Falck RS, Dao E, Crockett RA, Barha CK, Silva NCBS, et al. Resistance training and subcortical vascular cognitive impairment: A 12-month randomized trial. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2026. doi:10.1002/alz.71245. PMID: 41795685.
BibTeX
@article{liuambrose2026-41795685,
author = {Liu-Ambrose, T. and Falck, R. S. and Dao, E. and Crockett, R. A. and Barha, C. K. and Silva, N. C. B. S. and others},
title = {{Resistance training and subcortical vascular cognitive impairment: A 12-month randomized trial}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& Dementia},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71245},
pmid = {41795685},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71245}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.