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The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention.

ABSTRACT: Cerebral white matter (WM) degeneration occurs with increasing age and is associated with declining cognitive function. Research has shown that cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise are effective as protective, even restorative, agents against cognitive and neurobiological impairments in older adults. In this study, we investigated whether the beneficial impact of aerobic fitness would extend to WM integrity in the context of a one-year exercise intervention. Further, we examined the pattern of diffusivity changes to better understand the underlying biological mechanisms. Finally, we assessed whether training-induced changes in WM integrity would be associated with improvements in cognitive performance independent of aerobic fitness gains. Results showed that aerobic fitness training did not affect group-level change in WM integrity, executive function, or short-term memory, but that greater aerobic fitness derived from the walking program was associated with greater change in WM integrity in the frontal and temporal lobes, and greater improvement in short-term memory. Increases in WM integrity, however, were not associated with short-term memory improvement, independent of fitness improvements. Therefore, while not all findings are consistent with previous research, we provide novel evidence for correlated change in training-induced aerobic fitness, WM integrity, and cognition among healthy older adults.

SUBMITTER: Voss MW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4096122 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention.

Voss Michelle W MW Heo Susie S Prakash Ruchika S RS Erickson Kirk I KI Alves Heloisa H Chaddock Laura L Szabo Amanda N AN Mailey Emily L EL Wójcicki Thomas R TR White Siobhan M SM Gothe Neha N McAuley Edward E Sutton Bradley P BP Kramer Arthur F AF

Human brain mapping 20120605 11

Cerebral white matter (WM) degeneration occurs with increasing age and is associated with declining cognitive function. Research has shown that cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise are effective as protective, even restorative, agents against cognitive and neurobiological impairments in older adults. In this study, we investigated whether the beneficial impact of aerobic fitness would extend to WM integrity in the context of a one-year exercise intervention. Further, we examined the pattern of ...[more]

PMID: 22674729

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Project description:The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that changes in cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) after 1-yr aerobic exercise training (AET) are associated with cognitive performances in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Seventy sedentary patients with amnestic MCI were randomized to 1-yr moderate-to-vigorous intensity AET or stretching and toning (SAT) interventions. Cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) with transcranial Doppler, mean arterial pressure (MAP) with finapres plethysmograph, and EtCO2 with capnography were measured during hyperventilation (hypocapnia) and a modified rebreathing protocol (hypercapnia) to assess CVMR. Cerebrovascular conductance index (CVCi) was calculated by CBFV/MAP, and CVMR by ΔCBFV/ΔEtCO2 and ΔCVCi/ΔEtCO2. Episodic memory and executive function were assessed using standard neuropsychological tests (CVLT-II and D-KEFS). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by peak oxygen uptake (V̇o2peak). A total of 37 patients (19 in SAT and 18 in AET) completed 1-yr interventions and CVMR assessments. AET improved V̇o2peak, increased hypocapnic CVMR, but decreased hypercapnic CVMR. The effects of AET on cognitive performance were minimal when compared with SAT. Across both groups, there was a negative correlation between changes in hypocapnic and hypercapnic CVMRs in CBFV% and CVCi% (r = -0.741, r = -0.725, P < 0.001). Attenuated hypercapnic CVMR, but not increased hypocapnic CVMR, was associated with improved cognitive test scores in the AET group. In conclusion, 1-yr AET increased hypocapnic CVMR and attenuated hypercapnic CVMR which is associated cognitive performance in patients with amnestic MCI.NEW & NOTEWORTHY One-year moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise training (AET) improved cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇o2peak), increased hypocapnic cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR), whereas it decreased hypercapnic CVMR when compared with stretching and toning in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, changes in hypercapnic CVMR with AET were correlated with improved memory and executive function. These findings indicate that AET has an impact on cerebrovascular function which may benefit cognitive performance in older adults who have high risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Project description:In aging humans, aerobic exercise interventions have been found to be associated with more positive or less negative changes in frontal and temporal brain areas, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus, relative to no-exercise control conditions. However, individual measures such as gray-matter (GM) probability may afford less reliable and valid conclusions about maintenance or losses in structural brain integrity than a latent construct based on multiple indicators. Here, we established a latent factor of GM structural integrity based on GM probability assessed by voxel-based morphometry, magnetization transfer saturation, and mean diffusivity. Based on this latent factor, we investigated changes in structural brain integrity during a six-month exercise intervention in brain regions previously reported in studies using volumetric approaches. Seventy-five healthy, previously sedentary older adults aged 63-76 years completed an at-home intervention study in either an exercise group (EG; n = 40) or in an active control group (ACG; n = 35). Measures of peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) taken before and after the intervention revealed a time-by-group interaction, with positive average change in the EG and no reliable mean change in the ACG. Significant group differences in structural brain integrity changes were observed in the right and left ACC, right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and left juxtapositional lobule cortex (JLC). In all instances, average changes in the EG did not differ reliably from zero, whereas average changes in the ACG were negative, pointing to maintenance of structural brain integrity in the EG, and to losses in the ACG. Significant individual differences in change were observed for right ACC and left JLC. Following up on these differences, we found that exercising participants with greater fitness gains also showed more positive changes in structural integrity. We discuss the benefits and limitations of a latent-factor approach to changes in structural brain integrity, and conclude that aerobic fitness interventions are likely to contribute to brain maintenance in old age.

Dataset Information

The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention.

Publications

The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention.

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