Thank you for your interest in this study! This study is being conducted at Iowa State University by the Wellbeing and Exercise Laboratory. The purpose of this study is to understand how aerobic exercise training influences seizure frequency and psychological health among people with epilepsy. This is a screening survey to assess potential eligibility for participation in the study. We are looking for men and women, age 18-65, who are diagnosed with epilepsy. Participants in this study must also report having one seizure or event in the past year, be able to provide physician consent to participate, and are not meeting the US Physical Activity Aerobic Guidelines (i.e., engaging in less than 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week) or participating in a structured exercise program.
If you choose to enroll, you will complete a Baseline Assessment Visit (described below) and then be randomized to either the immediate exercise group or delayed exercise group. Randomization means that you are put into a group by chance (like flipping a coin). There is no way to predict which group you will be assigned to. You will have an equal chance of being placed in either group. If you are assigned to the delayed exercise group, after the Baseline Assessment Visit you will complete weekly seizure and physical activity reports and the Final Assessment Visit. After the Final Assessment Visit, you will be sent an intervention workbook that includes a personalized, at-home exercise plan. If you are in the immediate exercise group, after the Baseline Visit you will complete 8-weeks of aerobic exercise followed by the Final Assessment Visit.
The Baseline and Final Assessment Visit will last ~2 hours and will include questionnaires, anthropometric assessments (e.g., height and body composition), a blood draw via venipuncture by a trained phlebotomist, and a submaximal aerobic exercise test on a stationary bike. The 8-weeks of aerobic exercise training will require supervised exercise 3 days a week at Research Park 6 in Ames. Each session will last ~1-1.5 hours and will include light to somewhat hard intensity, aerobic activity which will be based on your perceived exertion. You will have the choice of completing the aerobic activity on either a stationary bike, a treadmill, or an elliptical. You may listen to music, play games, or watch television during these exercise sessions.
There are a few small risks associated with participation in this study that include discomfort from exercise, a potential risk of a seizure, and confidentiality concerns. Further detail of these risks will be provided in the informed consent document that you will be asked to read before participating. Briefly, these will be minimized by using trained staff and keeping collected data on password-protected drives. It is important to note that participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you can withdraw without penalty at any time.
The following screening questions will assist in determining potential eligibility for the current study and you will receive an email from the study staff about your likely eligibility for the current study soon after completing the survey. If you have any questions, you can contact the study staff directly at the Wellbeing and Exercise Laboratory by calling (515) 294-5230. You can also reach the Principal Investigator, Sydney Churchill, by emailing wellex@iastate.edu. Please be sure to include "EpiFIT" in the subject line. If you have any questions about the rights of research subjects or research related injury, please contact the Institutional Review Board at IRB@iastate.edu.
Informed Consent:
IRB Approval Stamp EpiFIT Informed Consent 8.30.pdf
Press "I agree" to proceed or "I disagree" to end the survey