title: Physical activity and inflammation: effects on gray-matter volume and cognitive decline in aging.
abstract: Physical activity has been positively associated with gray-matter integrity. In contrast, pro-inflammatory cytokines seem to have negative effects on the aging brain and have been related to dementia. It was investigated whether an inactive lifestyle and high levels of inflammation resulted in smaller gray-matter volumes and predicted cognitive decline across 6 years in a population-based study of older adults (n = 414). Self-reported physical activity (fitness-enhancing, health-enhancing, inadequate) was linked to gray-matter volume, such that individuals with inadequate physical activity had the least gray matter. There were no overall associations between different pro-and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, G-CSF, and TNF-α) and gray-matter integrity. However, persons with inadequate activity and high levels of the pro-inflammatory marker IL-12p40 had smaller volumes of lateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus and declined more on the Mini-Mental State Examination test over 6 years compared with physically inactive individuals with low levels of IL-12p40 and to more physically active persons, irrespective of their levels of IL-12p40. These patterns of data suggested that inflammation was particularly detrimental in inactive older adults and may exacerbate the negative effects of physical inactivity on brain and cognition in old age. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3462-3473, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papenberg
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferencz
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangialasche
authors.affiliation: Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mecocci
authors.affiliation: Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cecchetti
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Grégoria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kalpouzos
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.|Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fratiglioni
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.|Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bäckman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D000073216:Mental Status and Dementia Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011379:Prognosis; D011897:Random Allocation; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: aging; cognition; gray matter; inflammation; physical activity