title: Neurobiological markers of exercise-related brain plasticity in older adults.
abstract: The current study examined how a randomized one-year aerobic exercise program for healthy older adults would affect serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) - putative markers of exercise-induced benefits on brain function. The study also examined whether (a) change in the concentration of these growth factors was associated with alterations in functional connectivity following exercise, and (b) the extent to which pre-intervention growth factor levels were associated with training-related changes in functional connectivity. In 65 participants (mean age=66.4), we found that although there were no group-level changes in growth factors as a function of the intervention, increased temporal lobe connectivity between the bilateral parahippocampus and the bilateral middle temporal gyrus was associated with increased BDNF, IGF-1, and VEGF for an aerobic walking group but not for a non-aerobic control group, and greater pre-intervention VEGF was associated with greater training-related increases in this functional connection. Results are consistent with animal models of exercise and the brain, but are the first to show in humans that exercise-induced increases in temporal lobe functional connectivity are associated with changes in growth factors and may be augmented by greater baseline VEGF.
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa, Department of Psychology, IA 52242, United States. michelle-voss@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Michelle W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: Kirk I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Ruchika Shaurya
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chaddock
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Heloisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Siobhan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Wójcicki
authors.forename: Emily L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Mailey
authors.forename: Erin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gothe
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Vieira-Potter
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Brandt D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Pence
authors.forename: Marc D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I