Journal Article

Effects of a physical activity intervention on brain atrophy in older adults at risk of dementia: a randomized controlled trial

Lautenschlager, Nicola T., Masters, Colin L., Venkatraman, Vijay, Cyarto, Elizabeth V., Lai, Michelle M. Y., Ellis, Kathryn A., Ames, David, Phal, Pramit M., Cox, Kay L., Sharman, Matthew J., Aljondi, Rowa, Desmond, Patricia M., Szoeke, Cassandra, Sinclair, Benjamin, Steward, Chris

2021

Overview

Lack of physical activity is a risk factor for dementia, however, the utility of interventional physical activity programs as a protective measure against brain atrophy and cognitive decline is uncertain. Here we present the effect of a randomized controlled trial of a 24-month physical activity intervention on global and regional brain atrophy as characterized by longitudinal voxel-based morphometry with T1-weighted MRI images. The study sample consisted of 98 participants at risk of dementia, with mild cognitive impairment or subjective memory complaints, and having at least one vascular risk factor for dementia, randomized into an exercise group and a control group. Between 0 and 24 months, there was no significant difference detected between groups in the rate of change in global, or regional brain volumes.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aged / Atrophy / Atrophy - pathology / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Brain / Brain - diagnostic imaging / Brain - pathology / Clinical trials / Cognition / Cognitive ability / Cognitive Dysfunction - diagnostic imaging / Cognitive Dysfunction - pathology / Dementia / Dementia - diagnostic imaging / Dementia - pathology / Dementia disorders / Exercise / Humans / Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Morphometry / Neuropsychology / Neuroradiology / Neurosciences / Physical activity / Psychiatry / Risk analysis / Risk factors / SI: Pacific Rim 2020 / Vascular dementia