Large-Scale Network Connectivity and Cognitive Function Changes After Exercise Training in Older Adults with Intact Cognition and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Authors

Junyeon Won, University of Maryland - College Park
Kristy A. Nielson, Marquette UniversityFollow
J. Carson Smith, University of Maryland - College Park

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

IOS Press

Source Publication

Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports

Source ISSN

2542-4823

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.3233/ADR-220062

Abstract

Background:

Despite growing evidence regarding the association between exercise training (ET) and functional brain network connectivity, little is known about the effects of ET on large-scale within- and between-network functional connectivity (FC) of core brain networks.

Objective:

We investigated the effects of ET on within- and between-network functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and salience network (SAL) in older adults with intact cognition (CN) and older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The association between ET-induced changes in FC and cognitive performance was examined.

Methods:

33 older adults (78.0±7.0 years; 16 MCI and 17 CN) participated in this study. Before and after a 12-week walking ET intervention, participants underwent a graded exercise test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a narrative memory test (logical memory; LM), and a resting-state fMRI scan. We examined the within (_W) and between (_B) network connectivity of the DMN, FPN, and SAL. We used linear regression to examine associations between ET-related changes in network connectivity and cognitive function.

Results:

There were significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, COWAT, RAVLT, and LM after ET across participants. Significant increases in DMN_W and SAL_W, and DMN-FPN_B, DMN-SAL_B, and FPN-SAL_B were observed after ET. Greater SAL_W and FPN-SAL_B were associated with enhanced LM immediate recall performance after ET in both groups.

Conclusion:

Increased within- and between-network connectivity following ET may subserve improvements in memory performance in older individuals with intact cognition and with MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Comments

Published version. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, Vol. 7, No. 1 (2023): 399-413. DOI. © IOS Press. Used with permission.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Recommended Citation

Won, Junyeon; Nielson, Kristy A.; and Smith, J. Carson, "Large-Scale Network Connectivity and Cognitive Function Changes After Exercise Training in Older Adults with Intact Cognition and Mild Cognitive Impairment" (2023). Psychology Faculty Research and Publications. 588.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/psych_fac/588