title: Association between physical activity and brain health in older adults.
abstract: In the present cross-sectional study, we examined physical activity (PA) and its possible association with cognitive skills and brain structure in 331 cognitively healthy elderly. Based on the number of self-reported light and hard activities for at least 30 minutes per week, participants were assigned to 4 groups representing different levels of PA. The cognitive skills were assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination score, a verbal fluency task, and the Trail-making test as a measure of visuospatial orientation ability. Participants also underwent a magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Multiple regression analysis revealed that greater PA was associated with a shorter time to complete the Trail-making test, and higher levels of verbal fluency. Further, the level of self-reported PA was positively correlated with brain volume, white matter, as well as a parietal lobe gray matter volume, situated bilaterally at the precuneus. These present cross-sectional results indicate that PA is a lifestyle factor that is linked to brain structure and function in late life.
authors.affiliation: Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala, Sweden. christian.benedict@neuro.uu.se
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedict
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kullberg
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nordenskjöld
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Grevès
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kilander
authors.forename: Elna-Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlström
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Helgi B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Schiöth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014706:Verbal Learning