title: The brain-in-motion study: effect of a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention on cerebrovascular regulation and cognitive function in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aging and physical inactivity are associated with declines in some cognitive domains and cerebrovascular function, as well as an elevated risk of cerebrovascular disease and other morbidities. With the increase in the number of sedentary older Canadians, promoting healthy brain aging is becoming an increasingly important population health issue. Emerging research suggests that higher levels of physical fitness at any age are associated with better cognitive functioning and this may be mediated, at least in part, by improvements in cerebrovascular reserve. We are currently conducting a study to determine: if a structured 6-month aerobic exercise program is associated with improvements or maintenance of both cerebrovascular function and cognitive abilities in older individuals; and, the extent to which any changes seen persist 6 months after the completion of the structured exercise program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty men and women aged 55-80 years are being enrolled into an 18-month combined quasi-experimental and prospective cohort study. Participants are eligible for enrollment into the study if they are inactive (i.e., not participating in regular physical activity), non-smokers, have a body mass index <35.0 kg/m(2), are free of significant cognitive impairment (defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 24 or more), and do not have clinically significant cardiovascular, cerebrovascular disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary airway disease. Repeated measurements are done during three sequential six-month phases: 1) pre-intervention; 2) aerobic exercise intervention; and 3) post-intervention. These outcomes include: cardiorespiratory fitness, resting cerebral blood flow, cerebrovascular reserve, and cognitive function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to our knowledge that will examine contemporaneously the effect of an exercise intervention on both cerebrovascular reserve and cognition in an older population. This study will further our understanding of whether cerebrovascular mechanisms might explain how exercise promotes healthy brain aging. In addition our study will address the potential of increasing physical activity to prevent age-associated cognitive decline.
authors: Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
authors: Amanda V
authors: AV
authors: Tyndall
authors: Margie H
authors: MH
authors: Davenport
authors: Ben J
authors: BJ
authors: Wilson
authors: Grazyna M
authors: GM
authors: Burek
authors: Genevieve
authors: G
authors: Arsenault-Lapierre
authors: Eryka
authors: E
authors: Haley
authors: Gail A
authors: GA
authors: Eskes
authors: Christine M
authors: CM
authors: Friedenreich
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Hill
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Hogan
authors: R Stewart
authors: RS
authors: Longman
authors: Todd J
authors: TJ
authors: Anderson
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Leigh
authors: Eric E
authors: EE
authors: Smith
authors: Marc J
authors: MJ
authors: Poulin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires