Improved Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated with Increased Cortical Thickness in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Authors

Katherine Reiter, Marquette University
Kristy A. Nielson, Marquette UniversityFollow
Theresa J. Smith, Medical College of Wisconsin
Lauren R. Weiss, University of Maryland at College Park
Alfonso J. Alfini, University of Maryland at College Park
J. C. Smith, University of Maryland at College ParkFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

11 p.

Publication Date

11-2015

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Source Publication

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Source ISSN

1355-6177

Abstract

Cortical atrophy is a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that correlates with clinical symptoms. This study examined changes in cortical thickness from before to after an exercise intervention in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy elders. Thirty physically inactive older adults (14 MCI, 16 healthy controls) underwent MRI before and after participating in a 12-week moderate intensity walking intervention. Participants were between the ages of 61 and 88. Change in cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using residualized scores of the peak rate of oxygen consumption (V̇O_2peak) from pre- to post-intervention. Structural magnetic resonance images were processed using FreeSurfer v5.1.0. V̇O_2peak increased an average of 8.49%, which was comparable between MCI and healthy elders. Overall, cortical thickness was stable except for a significant decrease in the right fusiform gyrus in both groups. However, improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness due to the intervention (V̇O_2peak) was positively correlated with cortical thickness change in the bilateral insula, precentral gyri, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and inferior and superior frontal cortices. Moreover, MCI participants exhibited stronger positive correlations compared to healthy elders in the left insula and superior temporal gyrus. A 12-week moderate intensity walking intervention led to significantly improved fitness in both MCI and healthy elders. Improved V̇O_2peak was associated with widespread increased cortical thickness, which was similar between MCI and healthy elders. Thus, regular exercise may be an especially beneficial intervention to counteract cortical atrophy in all risk groups, and may provide protection against future cognitive decline in both healthy elders and MCI.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, Vol. 21, No. 10 (November 2015): 757-767. DOI. © 2015 The International Neuropsychological Society. Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

Reiter, Katherine; Nielson, Kristy A.; Smith, Theresa J.; Weiss, Lauren R.; Alfini, Alfonso J.; and Smith, J. C., "Improved Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated with Increased Cortical Thickness in Mild Cognitive Impairment" (2015). Psychology Faculty Research and Publications. 201.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/psych_fac/201