268 research outputs found
Memory Enhancement by a Semantically Unrelated Emotional Arousal Source Induced After Learning
It has been well established that moderate physiological or emotional arousal modulates memory. However, there is some controversy about whether the source of arousal must be semantically related to the information to be remembered. To test this idea, 35 healthy young adult participants learned a list of common nouns and afterward viewed a semantically unrelated, neutral or emotionally arousing videotape. The tape was shown after learning to prevent arousal effects on encoding or attention, instead influencing memory consolidation. Heart rate increase was significantly greater in the arousal group, and negative affect was significantly less reported in the non-arousal group after the video. The arousal group remembered significantly more words than the non-arousal group at both 30 min and 24 h delays, despite comparable group memory performance prior to the arousal manipulation. These results demonstrate that emotional arousal, even from an unrelated source, is capable of modulating memory consolidation. Potential reasons for contradictory findings in some previous studies, such as the timing of “delayed” memory tests, are discussed
Associations of the Lipidome with Ageing, Cognitive Decline and Exercise Behaviours
One of the most recognisable features of ageing is a decline in brain health and cognitive
dysfunction, which is associated with perturbations to regular lipid homeostasis. Although ageing
is the largest risk factor for several neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, a loss in cognitive
function is commonly observed in adults over the age of 65. Despite the prevalence of normal agerelated
cognitive decline, there is a lack of effective methods to improve the health of the ageing
brain. In light of this, exercise has shown promise for positively influencing neurocognitive health
and associated lipid profiles. This review summarises age-related changes in several lipid classes that
are found in the brain, including fatty acyls, glycerolipids, phospholipids, sphingolipids and sterols,
and explores the consequences of age-associated pathological cognitive decline on these lipid classes.
Evidence of the positive effects of exercise on the affected lipid profiles are also discussed to highlight
the potential for exercise to be used therapeutically to mitigate age-related changes to lipid metabolism
and prevent cognitive decline in later life.Australian Research Council FL20010022
Balance on the Brain: a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effect of a multimodal exercise programme on physical performance, falls, quality of life and cognition for people with mild cognitive impairment—study protocol
This project is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Investigator Grant--APP1174739) and Curtin University.Introduction Exercise and physical activity have been
shown to improve cognition for people living with mild
cognitive impairment (MCI). There is strong evidence
for the benefits of aerobic exercise and medium
evidence for participating in regular strength training
for people with MCI. However, people living with MCI
fall two times as often as those without cognitive
impairment and the evidence is currently unknown
as to whether balance training for people with MCI is
beneficial, as has been demonstrated for older people
without cognitive impairment. The aim of this study is
to determine whether a balance-focused
multimodal
exercise intervention improves balance and reduces
falls for people with MCI, compared with a control group
receiving usual care.
Methods and analysis This single blind randomised
controlled trial (Balance on the Brain) will be offered
to 396 people with MCI living in the community. The
multimodal exercise intervention consists of two balance
programmes and a walking programme to be delivered
by physiotherapists over a 6-month
intervention period.
All participants will be followed up over 12 months (for
the intervention group, this involves 6-month
intervention
and 6-month
maintenance). The primary outcomes are
(1) balance performance and (2) rate of falls. Physical
performance, levels of physical activity and sedentary
behaviour, quality of life and cognition are secondary
outcomes. A health economic analysis will be undertaken
to evaluate the cost-effectiveness
of the intervention
compared with usual care.
Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been
received from the South Metropolitan Health Service
Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), Curtin
University HREC and the Western Australia Department
of Health HREC; and approval has been received to
obtain data for health costings from Services Australia.
The results will be disseminated through peer-review publications, conference presentations and online
platforms.National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia APP1174739Curtin Universit
The relationship between fat mass and obesity associated gene polymorphism rs9939609 and resting cerebral blood flow in a midlife sample with overweight and obesity
Background: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609 in the fat
mass and obesity associated fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) gene
has been linked with increased BMI in adults. Higher BMI has been associated
with poor brain health and may exert deleterious effects on neurocognitive
health through cerebral hypoperfusion. However, it is unclear if there is a
relationship between the FTO genotype and cerebral perfusion, or whether
FTO genotype moderates the effects of weight loss on cerebral perfusion.
Using data from a randomized controlled behavioral weight loss trial in adults
with overweight and obesity, we tested (1) whether carriers of the A allele for
FTO rs9939609 demonstrate different patterns of resting cerebral blood flow
(rCBF) compared to T carriers, and (2) whether the FTO genotype moderates
the effects of weight loss on rCBF. We hypothesized that carriers of the A
allele would exhibit lower resting CBF in frontal brain areas compared to
T/T homozygotes at baseline, and that intervention-induced weight loss may
partially remediate these differences.
Methods and results: One hundred and five adults (75.2% female, mean age
44.9 years) with overweight or obesity were included in the analyses. These
participants represent a subsample of participants in a larger randomized
controlled trial (NCT01500356). A resting pseudo-continuous arterial spin
labeling (pCASL) scan was acquired to examine rCBF. Age, sex, and BMI
were included as covariates. At baseline, A carriers had greater rCBF in a
diffuse cluster extending into the brainstem, motor cortex, and occipital lobe,
but lower perfusion in the temporal lobe. We found no evidence that FTO
moderated the effect of the intervention group assignment on rCBF changes. Conclusion: Overall, these results indicate that (a) individual variation in rCBF
within a sample with overweight and obesity may be attributed to a common
FTO variant, but (b) a weight loss intervention is effective at increasing rCBF,
regardless of FTO genotype.R01 HL103646/HL/NHLBI
NIH HHS/United States (PI, JJ)R01 DK095172/DK/NIDDK
NIH HHS/United States (PI, KE
Reduced brain activity during a working memory task in middle-aged apolipoprotein E +4 carriers with overweight/obesity
Objective: The apolipoprotein E +4 (APOE +4) allele and midlife obesity are
independent risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Both of these risk factors
are also associated with differences in brain activation, as measured by blood
oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses, in the absence of detectable
cognitive deficits. Although the presence of these risk factors may influence
brain activity during working memory tasks, no study to date has examined
whether the presence of the +4 allele explains variation in working memory
brain activity while matching for levels of overweight/obesity. The primary
aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of the +4 allele is
associated with differences in task-functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI) brain activation in adults with overweight/obesity. We predicted that +4
carriers would have greater brain activation in regions that support working
memory.
Methods: This ancillary study included 48 (n = 24 APOE +4 carriers;
n = 24 APOE +4 non-carriers), sedentary middle-aged adults
(Mean age = 44.63 8.36 years) with overweight/obesity (Mean
BMI = 32.43 4.12 kg/m2) who were matched on demographic
characteristics. Participants were a subsample enrolled in 12-month
randomized clinical trial examining the impact of energy-restricted diet
and exercise on cardiovascular health outcomes. Participants completed
a n-back working memory task with fMRI, which were completed within
one month of the start of the intervention. Participants also underwent
pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling scans, a MRI measure of cerebral
blood flow (CBF). Results: Compared to non-+4 carriers with overweight/obesity, +4 carriers
with overweight/obesity had lower fMRI brain activity in the middle frontal
gyrus, pre and post central gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, superior temporal
gyrus, lateral occipital cortex, and angular gyrus (z range = 2.52–3.56) during
the n-back working memory task. Differences persisted even when controlling
for CBF in these brain regions.
Conclusion: These results indicate that presence of the APOE +4 allele in
middle-aged adults with overweight/obesity is related to altered brain activity
during a working memory paradigm, which may confer risk for accelerated
neurocognitive decline in late adulthood. Future research is needed to clarify
the clinical implications of these findings in the context of risk for AD.United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) 3R01AG060741-03S1
R01 DK095172
R01-HL103646
UL1 TR00185
Changes in cardiovascular health and white matter integrity with aerobic exercise, cognitive and combined training in physically inactive healthy late‑middle‑aged adults: the “Projecte Moviment” randomized controlled trial
Introduction
This is a 12-weeks randomized controlled trial examining the effects of aerobic exercise (AE), computerized cognitive training (CCT) and their combination (COMB). We aim to investigate their impact on cardiovascular health and white matter (WM) integrity and how they contribute to the cognitive benefits.
Methods
109 participants were recruited and 82 (62% female; age = 58.38 ± 5.47) finished the intervention with > 80% adherence. We report changes in cardiovascular risk factors and WM integrity (fractional anisotropy (FA); mean diffusivity (MD)), how they might be related to changes in physical activity, age and sex, and their potential role as mediators in cognitive improvements.
Results
A decrease in BMI (SMD = − 0.32, p = 0.039), waist circumference (SMD = − 0.42, p = 0.003) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (SMD = − 0.42, p = 0.006) in the AE group and a decrease in BMI (SMD = − 0.34, p = 0.031) and DBP (SMD = − 0.32, p = 0.034) in the COMB group compared to the waitlist control group was observed. We also found decreased global MD in the CCT group (SMD = − 0.34; p = 0.032) and significant intervention-related changes in FA and MD in the frontal and temporal lobes in the COMB group.
Conclusions
We found changes in anthropometric measures that suggest initial benefits on cardiovascular health after only 12 weeks of AE and changes in WM microstructure in the CCT and COMB groups. These results add evidence of the clinical relevance of lifestyle interventions and the potential benefits when combining them.
Clinical Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT031123900.CRUE-CSIC
agreement with Springer NatureSpanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness: Neuroplasticity
in the adulthood: physical exercise and cognitive training (PSI2013-
47724-P)Integrative omics study on the neurobiological effects
of physical activity and cognitive stimulation (PSI2016-77475-R)Catalan Institution for
Research and Advanced Studies under the ICREA Academia program
to MM(FPU014/01460, FI-2016, and FI-2018
The effect of acute exercise on objectively measured sleep and cognition in older adults
KS is supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship. SR-S is supported by an NHMRC Investigator Grant (GNT1197315).The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1207199/full#supplementary-materialBackground: Exercise can improve cognition in aging, however it is unclear how exercise influences cognition, and sleep may partially explain this association. The current study aimed to investigate whether objectively measured sleep mediates the effect of an acute exercise intervention on cognition in older adults.
Methods: Participants were 30 cognitively unimpaired, physically active older adults (69.2 ± 4.3 years) with poor sleep (determined via self-report). After a triple baseline cognitive assessment to account for any natural fluctuation in cognitive performance, participants completed either a single bout of 20-minutes of high intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer, or a control condition, in a cross-over trial design. Cognition was measured immediately post-intervention and the following day, and sleep (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, % of rapid eye movement sleep, light sleep and deep sleep) was characterized using WatchPAT™ at baseline (5 nights) and measured for one night after both exercise and control conditions.
Results: Results showed no effect of the exercise intervention on cognition immediately post-intervention, nor an effect of acute exercise on any sleep variable. There was no mediating effect of sleep on associations between exercise and cognition. However, a change from baseline to post-intervention in light sleep and deep sleep did predict change in episodic memory at the ~24 h post-intervention cognitive assessment, regardless of intervention condition.
Discussion: There was no effect of acute high intensity exercise on sleep or cognition in the current study. However, results suggest that associations between sleep and cognition may exist independently of exercise in our sample. Further research is required, and such studies may aid in informing the most effective lifestyle interventions for cognitive health.Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) ScholarshipNHMRC Investigator Grant (GNT1197315
Cardiorespiratory fitness levels and body mass index of pre-adolescent children and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic
Introduction The social and behavioral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the health and physiology of most people, including those never diagnosed with COVID-19. While the impact of the pandemic has been felt across the lifespan, its effects on cardiorespiratory fitness (commonly considered a reflection of total body health) of older adults and children may be particularly profound due to social distancing and stay-at-home advisories, as well as the closure of sport facilities and non-essential businesses. The objective of this investigation was to leverage baseline data from two ongoing clinical trials to determine if cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index were different during COVID-19 relative to before COVID-19 in older adults and children.Methods Healthy older individuals (N = 593; 65-80 years) and 200 typically developing children (8-10 years) completed a graded maximal exercise test and had their height and weight measured.Results Results revealed that older adults and children tested during COVID-19 had significantly lower cardiorespiratory fitness levels than those tested before COVID-19 shutdowns (older adults: 30% lower; children: 53% lower; p's & LE; 0.001). In addition, older adults and children tested during COVID-19 had significantly higher BMI (older adults: 31.34 +/- 0.57 kg/m(2), p = 0.004; children: 19.27 +/- 0.44 kg/m(2), p = 0.05) than those tested before COVID-19 shutdowns (older adults: 29.51 +/- 0.26 kg/m(2), children: 18.13 +/- 0.35 kg/m(2)). However, these differences in BMI did not remain significant when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness.Discussion Results from this investigation indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic, and behavior changes taken to reduce potential exposure, may have led to lower cardiorespiratory fitness levels in older adults and children, as well as higher body mass index. These findings provide relevant public health information as lower cardiorespiratory fitness levels and higher body mass indexes recorded during the pandemic could have far-reaching and protracted health consequences. Public health guidance is needed to encourage physical activity to maintain cardiorespiratory fitness and healthy body composition.United States Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) R01AG053952
United States Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) R01HD09405
Data-driven MRI analysis reveals fitness-related functional change in default mode network and cognition following an exercise intervention
Previous research has indicated that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is structurally and functionally neuroprotective in older adults. However, questions remain regarding the mechanistic role of CRF on cognitive and brain health. The purposes of this study were to investigate if higher pre-intervention CRF was associated with greater change in functional brain connectivity during an exercise intervention and to determine if the magnitude of change in connectivity was related to better post-intervention cognitive performance. The sample included low-active older adults (n = 139) who completed a 6-month exercise intervention and underwent neuropsychological testing, functional neuroimaging, and CRF testing before and after the intervention. A data-driven multi-voxel pattern analysis was performed on resting-state MRI scans to determine changes in whole-brain patterns of connectivity from pre- to post-intervention as a function of pre-intervention CRF. Results revealed a positive correlation between pre-intervention CRF and changes in functional connectivity in the precentral gyrus. Using the precentral gyrus as a seed, analyses indicated that CRF-related connectivity changes within the precentral gyrus were derived from increased correlation strength within clusters located in the Dorsal Attention Network (DAN) and increased anti-correlation strength within clusters located in the Default Mode Network (DMN). Exploratory analysis demonstrated that connectivity change between the precentral gyrus seed and DMN clusters were associated with improved post-intervention performance on perceptual speed tasks. These findings suggest that in a sample of low-active and mostly lower-fit older adults, even subtle individual differences in CRF may influence the relationship between functional connectivity and aspects of cognition following a 6-month exercise intervention.Center for Nutrition, Learning, and
Memory at University of Illinois,
Grant/Award Number: C4712National
Institute on Aging, Grant/Award
Number: R37 AG02566
Effects and mechanisms of mindfulness training and physical exercise on cognition, emotional wellbeing, and brain outcomes in chronic stroke patients: Study protocol of the MindFit project randomized controlled trial
Background: Post-stroke cognitive and emotional complications are frequent
in the chronic stages of stroke and have important implications for the
functionality and quality of life of those affected and their caregivers. Strategies such as mindfulness meditation, physical exercise (PE), or
computerized cognitive training (CCT) may benefit stroke patients by
impacting neuroplasticity and brain health.
Materials and methods: One hundred and forty-one chronic stroke patients
are randomly allocated to receive mindfulness-based stress reduction + CCT
(n = 47), multicomponent PE program + CCT (n = 47), or CCT alone
(n = 47). Interventions consist of 12-week home-based programs five days
per week. Before and after the interventions, we collect data from cognitive,
psychological, and physical tests, blood and stool samples, and structural and
functional brain scans.
Results: The effects of the interventions on cognitive and emotional
outcomes will be described in intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.
We will also explore potential mediators and moderators, such as
genetic, molecular, brain, demographic, and clinical factors in our perprotocol
sample.
Discussion: The MindFit Project is a randomized clinical trial that aims
to assess the impact of mindfulness and PE combined with CCT on
chronic stroke patients’ cognitive and emotional wellbeing. Furthermore,
our design takes a multimodal biopsychosocial approach that will generate
new knowledge at multiple levels of evidence, from molecular bases to
behavioral changes.Fundacio LaMarato de TV3 201717.30.31.32ICREAMaria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence (Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona) MDM-2017-0729Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN)
Spanish GovernmentAB-G pre-doctoral fellowship FPU18/0434
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