scholarly journals High-intensity exercise and cognitive function in cognitively normal older adults: a pilot randomised clinical trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda M. Brown ◽  
Natalie Frost ◽  
Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith ◽  
James Doecke ◽  
Shaun Markovic ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Physical inactivity has been consistently linked to increased risk of cognitive decline; however, studies examining the impact of exercise interventions on cognition have produced inconsistent findings. Some observational studies suggest exercise intensity may be important for inducing cognitive improvements; however, this has yet to be thoroughly examined in older adult cohorts. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of systematically manipulated high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise interventions on cognition. Methods This multi-arm pilot randomised clinical trial investigated the effects of 6 months of high-intensity exercise and moderate-intensity exercise, compared with an inactive control, on cognition. Outcome measures were assessed at pre- (baseline), post- (6 months), and 12 months post-intervention. Ninety-nine cognitively normal men and women (aged 60–80 years) were enrolled from October 2016 to November 2017. Participants that were allocated to an exercise group (i.e. high-intensity or moderate-intensity) engaged in cycle-based exercise two times per week for 6 months. Cognition was assessed using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Cardiorespiratory fitness was evaluated by a graded exercise test. Results There was a dose-dependent effect of exercise intensity on cardiorespiratory fitness, whereby the high-intensity group experienced greater increases in fitness than the moderate-intensity and control groups. However, there was no direct effect of exercise on cognition. Conclusions We did not observe a direct effect of exercise on cognition. Future work in this field should be appropriately designed and powered to examine factors that may contribute to individual variability in response to intervention. Trial registration This study is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12617000643370). Registered on 3 May 2017—retrospectively registered. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372780

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Brown ◽  
Natalie Frost ◽  
Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith ◽  
James Doecke ◽  
Shaun Markovic ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity has been consistently linked to increased risk of cognitive decline; however, studies examining the impact of exercise interventions on cognition have produced inconsistent findings. Some observational studies suggest exercise intensity may be important for inducing cognitive improvements; however, this has yet to be thoroughly examined in older adult cohorts. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of systematically manipulated high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise interventions on cognition. In addition, we investigated individual variability in exercise response by examining effects of relevant genetic factors and changes in cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive change.METHODS: This multi-arm randomised clinical trial investigated the effects of 6-months of high-intensity exercise and moderate-intensity exercise, compared with an inactive control, on cognition. Outcome measures were assessed at pre- (baseline), post- (6 months), and 12-months post-intervention. Ninety-nine cognitively normal men and women (aged 60 – 80 years) were enrolled from October 2016 to November 2017. Participants that were allocated to an exercise group (i.e., high-intensity or moderate-intensity) engaged in cycle-based exercise two times per week for 6 months. Cognition was assessed using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Cardiorespiratory fitness was evaluated by a graded exercise test. Apolipoprotein e4 genotype and brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met carriage were identified.RESULTS: There was a dose-dependent effect of exercise intensity on cardiorespiratory fitness; whereby the high-intensity group experienced greater increases in fitness than the moderate-intensity and control groups. However, there was no direct effect of exercise on cognition. We observed an association between changes in global cognition and executive function and changes in cardiorespiratory fitness from pre- to post-intervention: this relationship was strongest in brain-derived neurotrophic factor non-Met carriers.CONCLUSIONS We did not observe a direct effect of exercise on cognition. Nevertheless, our data suggests genetics may moderate the relationship between fitness and cognitive change following exercise, and this should be examined further in larger trials.TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12617000643370). Registered 3rd May 2017 - retrospectively registered. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372780


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin A Dias ◽  
James P Macnamara ◽  
Christopher M Hearon ◽  
Mitchel Samels ◽  
Aslan Turer ◽  
...  

Introduction: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are excluded from high intensity activities due to perceived fear of sudden cardiac death. Observational data from athletes with HCM suggest that engaging in high intensity exercise (HIE) may be safe and is associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness. Whether HIE can safely elicit a superior increase in fitness compared to moderate intensity exercise in patients with HCM is unclear. Methods: Nine HCM patients (49 ± 7 years, 3 female) were assessed for maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max, Douglas Bag method), cardiac output (Q c , acetylene rebreathing), and peripheral oxygen extraction (av-O 2 diff, Fick equation) before randomization and after 5 months of MIE or HIE training. Patients completed 3-4 sessions of MIE each week, while the HIE group also incorporated 1-2 supervised high intensity interval training sessions/week from month 3 onwards. Arrhythmias were monitored via pre-existing implantable cardiac defibrillators or implantable loop recorders placed prior to training. Results: Five months of MIE increased absolute VO 2 max by 3% and relative VO 2 max by 4%, while HIE consistently increased absolute VO 2 max by 6% and relative VO 2 max by 5% (Figure). Maximal Q c did not change after MIE but increased in all HIE patients (+1.2L/min, 95% CI -1.4 to 3.9), while maximal av-O 2 diff remained stable in both groups. Training compliance was 84 ± 15% in HIE and 93 ± 11% in MIE. There were no serious exercise-related adverse events in either group though two HIE subjects had arrhythmias at rest: 1) 14-beat run of wide complex tachycardia of uncertain mechanism given underlying conduction disease prior to a training session, and 2) 11 beats of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia prior to post exercise testing. Conclusions: Preliminary findings show that five months of HIE safely and consistently increased cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with HCM, though overall the improvements were comparable to MIE.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie C Andrews ◽  
Dylan Curtin ◽  
Ziarih Hawi ◽  
Jaeger Wongtrakun ◽  
Julie C Stout ◽  
...  

Abstract A single bout of cardiovascular exercise can enhance plasticity in human cortex; however, the intensity required for optimal enhancement is debated. We investigated the effect of exercise intensity on motor cortex synaptic plasticity, using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Twenty healthy adults (Mage = 35.10 ± 13.25 years) completed three sessions. Measures of cortico-motor excitability (CME) and inhibition were obtained before and after a 20-min bout of either high-intensity interval exercise, moderate-intensity continuous exercise, or rest, and again after intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Results showed that high-intensity interval exercise enhanced iTBS plasticity more than rest, evidenced by increased CME and intracortical facilitation, and reduced intracortical inhibition. In comparison, the effect of moderate-intensity exercise was intermediate between high-intensity exercise and rest. Importantly, analysis of each participant’s plasticity response profile indicated that high-intensity exercise increased the likelihood of a facilitatory response to iTBS. We also established that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism attenuated plasticity responses following high-intensity exercise. These findings suggest that high-intensity interval exercise should be considered not only when planning exercise interventions designed to enhance neuroplasticity, but also to maximize the therapeutic potential of non-invasive brain stimulation. Additionally, genetic profiling may enhance efficacy of exercise interventions for brain health.


2009 ◽  
Vol 203 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-ya Ueda ◽  
Takahiro Yoshikawa ◽  
Yoshihiro Katsura ◽  
Tatsuya Usui ◽  
Shigeo Fujimoto

There is growing interest in the effects of exercise on plasma gut hormone levels and subsequent energy intake (EI) but the effects of mode and exercise intensity on anorectic hormone profiles on subsequent EI remain to be elucidated. We aimed to investigate whether circulating peptide YY3–36 (PYY3–36) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 or GCG as listed in the HUGO Database) levels depend on exercise intensity, which could affect subsequent EI. Ten young male subjects (mean±s.d., age: 23.4±4.3 years, body mass index: 22.5±1.0 kg/m2, and maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max): 45.9±8.5 ml/kg per min) received a standardized breakfast, which was followed by constant cycling exercise at 75% VO2 max (high intensity session), 50% VO2 max (moderate intensity session), or rest (resting session) for 30 min. At lunch, a test meal was presented, and EI was calculated. Blood samples were obtained during three sessions for measurements of glucose, insulin, PYY3–36, and GLP-1, which includes GLP-1 (7–36) amide and GLP-1 (9–36) amide. Increases in blood PYY3–36 levels were dependent on the exercise intensity (effect of session: P<0.001 by two-way ANOVA), whereas those in GLP-1 levels were similar between two different exercise sessions. Of note, increase in area under the curve values for GLP-1 levels was negatively correlated with decrease in the EI in each exercise session (high: P<0.001, moderate: P=0.002). The present findings raise the possibility that each gut hormone exhibits its specific blood kinetics in response to two different intensities of exercise stimuli and might play differential roles in regulation of EI after exercise.


2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 1238-1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom G. Bailey ◽  
Maria Perissiou ◽  
Mark Windsor ◽  
Fraser Russell ◽  
Jonathan Golledge ◽  
...  

Impaired endothelial function is observed with aging and in those with low cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇o2peak). Improvements in endothelial function with exercise training are somewhat dependent on the intensity of exercise. While the acute stimulus for this improvement is not completely understood, it may, in part, be due to the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) response to acute exercise. We examined the hypothesis that exercise intensity alters the brachial (systemic) FMD response in elderly men and is modulated by V̇o2peak. Forty-seven elderly men were stratified into lower (V̇o2peak = 24.3 ± 2.9 ml·kg−1·min−1; n = 27) and higher fit groups (V̇o2peak = 35.4 ± 5.5 ml·kg−1·min−1; n = 20) after a test of cycling peak power output (PPO). In randomized order, participants undertook moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE; 40% PPO) or high-intensity interval cycling exercise (HIIE; 70% PPO) or no-exercise control. Brachial FMD was assessed at rest and 10 and 60 min after exercise. FMD increased after MICE in both groups {increase of 0.86% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.17–1.56], P = 0.01} and normalized after 60 min. In the lower fit group, FMD was reduced after HIIE [reduction of 0.85% (95% CI, 0.12–1.58), P = 0.02] and remained decreased at 60 min. In the higher fit group, FMD was unchanged immediately after HIIE and increased after 60 min [increase of 1.52% (95% CI, 0.41–2.62), P < 0.01, which was correlated with V̇o2peak, r = 0.41; P < 0.01]. In the no-exercise control, FMD was reduced in both groups after 60 min ( P = 0.05). Exercise intensity alters the acute FMD response in elderly men and V̇o2peak modulates the FMD response following HIIE but not MICE. The sustained decrease in FMD in the lower fit group following HIIE may represent a signal for vascular adaptation or endothelial fatigue. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to show that moderate-intensity continuous cycling exercise increased flow-mediated dilation (FMD) transiently before normalization of FMD after 1 h, irrespective of cardiorespiratory fitness level in elderly men. Interestingly, we show increased FMD after high-intensity cycling exercise in higher fit men, with a sustained reduction in FMD in lower fit men. The prolonged reduction in FMD after high-intensity cycling exercise may be associated with future vascular adaptation but may also reflect a period of increased cardiovascular risk in lower fit elderly men.


2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 1150-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole T. Vargas ◽  
Christopher L. Chapman ◽  
Blair D. Johnson ◽  
Rob Gathercole ◽  
Zachary J. Schlader

We tested the hypothesis that thermal behavior is greater during and after high- compared with moderate-intensity exercise. In a 27°C, 20% relative humidity environment, 20 participants (10 women, 10 men) cycled for 30 min at moderate [53% (SD 6) peak oxygen uptake (V̇o2peak) or high [78% (SD 6) V̇o2peak] intensity, followed by 120 min of recovery. Mean skin and core temperatures and mean skin wettedness were recorded continuously. Participants maintained thermally comfortable neck temperatures with a custom-made neck device. Neck device temperature provided an index of thermal behavior. The weighted average of mean skin and core temperatures and mean skin wettedness provided an indication of the afferent stimulus to thermally behave. Mean skin and core temperatures were greater at end-exercise in high intensity ( P < 0.01). Core temperature remained elevated in high intensity until 70 min of recovery ( P = 0.03). Mean skin wettedness and the afferent stimulus were greater at 10–20 min of exercise in high intensity ( P ≤ 0.03) and remained elevated until 60 min of recovery ( P < 0.01). Neck device temperature was lower during exercise in high versus moderate intensity ( P ≤ 0.02). There was a strong relation between the afferent stimulus and neck device temperature during exercise (high: R2 = 0.82, P < 0.01; moderate: R2 = 0.95, P < 0.01) and recovery (high: R2 = 0.97, P < 0.01; moderate: R2 = 0.93, P < 0.01). During exercise, slope ( P = 0.49) and y-intercept ( P = 0.91) did not differ between intensities. In contrast, slope was steeper ( P < 0.01) and y-intercept was higher ( P < 0.01) during recovery from high-intensity exercise. Thermal behavior is greater during high-intensity exercise because of the greater stimulus to behave. The withdrawal of thermal behavior is augmented after high-intensity exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to determine the effects of exercise intensity on thermal behavior. We show that exercise intensity does not independently modulate thermal behavior during exercise but is dependent on the magnitude of afferent stimuli. In contrast, the withdrawal of thermal behavior after high-intensity exercise is augmented. This may be a consequence of an attenuated perceptual response to afferent stimuli, which may be due to processes underlying postexercise hypoalgesia.


2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 1707-1714 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Romijn ◽  
E. F. Coyle ◽  
L. S. Sidossis ◽  
J. Rosenblatt ◽  
R. R. Wolfe

We have studied eight endurance-trained women at rest and during exercise at 25, 65, and 85% of maximal oxygen uptake. The rate of appearance (Ra) of free fatty acids (FFA) was determined by infusion of [2H2]palmitate, and fat oxidation rates were determined by indirect calorimetry. Glucose kinetics were assessed with [6,6-2H2]glucose. Glucose Ra increased in relation to exercise intensity. In contrast, whereas FFA Ra was significantly increased to the same extent in low- and moderate-intensity exercise, during high-intensity exercise, FFA Ra was reduced compared with the other exercise values. Carbohydrate oxidation increased progressively with exercise intensity, whereas the highest rate of fat oxidation was during exercise at 65% of maximal oxygen uptake. After correction for differences in lean body mass, there were no differences between these results and previously reported data in endurance-trained men studied under the same conditions, except for slight differences in glucose metabolism during low-intensity exercise (Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, Gastaldelli A, Horowitz JF, Endert E, and Wolfe RR. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 265: E380–E391, 1993). We conclude that the patterns of changes in substrate kinetics during moderate- and high-intensity exercise are similar in trained men and women.


Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Junechul Kim ◽  
Bo-Eun Yoon ◽  
Yong Kyun Jeon

High-intensity exercise can lead to chronic fatigue, which reduces athletic performance. On the contrary, probiotic supplements have many health benefits, including improvement of gastrointestinal health and immunoregulation. However, the effects of probiotics combined with exercise interventions on motor functions and brain activity have not been fully explored. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the effects of probiotic supplements and aerobic exercise on motor function, immune response, and exercise intensity and probiotic ingestion. After four weeks of intervention, the motor functions were assessed by rotarod test, then the levels of cytokines, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamate were detected. The improvement caused by the intake of probiotics in the moderate-intensity exercise group and the non-exercise group in the accelerating mode rotarod was significant (p = 0.038, p < 0.001, respectively). In constant-speed mode, the moderate-intensity exercise group with probiotic ingestion recorded longer runs than the corresponding non-exercise group (p = 0.023), and the improvement owing to probiotics was significant in all groups—non-exercise, moderate, and high-intensity (p = 0.036, p = 0.036, p = 0.012, respectively). The concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were lower, whereas GABA was higher in the probiotics-ingested group. Taken together, exercise and probiotics in adolescence could positively affect brain and motor function.


2013 ◽  
Vol 114 (6) ◽  
pp. 792-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin R. Trombold ◽  
Kevin M. Christmas ◽  
Daniel R. Machin ◽  
Il-Young Kim ◽  
Edward F. Coyle

Acute exercise has been shown to attenuate postprandial plasma triglyceride elevation (PPTG). However, the direct contribution of exercise intensity is less well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise intensity on PPTG and postprandial fat oxidation. One of three experimental treatments was performed in healthy young men ( n = 6): nonexercise control (CON), moderate-intensity exercise (MIE; 50% V̇o2peak for 60 min), or isoenergetic high-intensity exercise (HIE; alternating 2 min at 25% and 2 min at 90% V̇o2peak). The morning after the exercise, a standardized meal was provided (16 kcal/kg BM, 1.02 g fat/kg, 1.36 g CHO/kg, 0.31 g PRO/kg), and measurements of plasma concentrations of triglyceride (TG), glucose, insulin, and β-hydroxybutyrate were made in the fasted condition and hourly for 6 h postprandial. Indirect calorimetry was used to determine fat oxidation in the fasted condition and 2, 4, and 6 h postprandial. Compared with CON, both MIE and HIE significantly attenuated PPTG [incremental AUC; 75.2 (15.5%), P = 0.033, and 54.9 (13.5%), P = 0.001], with HIE also significantly lower than MIE ( P = 0.03). Postprandial fat oxidation was significantly higher in MIE [83.3 (10.6%) of total energy expenditure] and HIE [89.1 (9.8) %total] compared with CON [69.0 (16.1) %total, P = 0.039, and P = 0.018, respectively], with HIE significantly greater than MIE ( P = 0.012). We conclude that, despite similar energy expenditure, HIE was more effective than MIE for lowering PPTG and increasing postprandial fat oxidation.


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