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The aim of the study is to investigate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular strength indicators with gray matter volume (GMV) and to study whether fitness‐related regions of GMV are associated to executive function (EF) in cognitively normal older adults. Ninety‐one cognitively normal older adults (71.69 ± 3.91 years; 57.14% females) participated in this study from the AGUEDA trial. CRF was measured by a 2‐km walking test and a 6‐min walking test. Muscular strength was measured by handgrip, biceps curl, squats, and isokinetic strength tests. T1‐weigthed images were obtained through a magnetic resonance scan. GMV was determined by voxel‐based morphometric analysis. Standardized EF tests were performed. CRF did not show any positive association with GMV. Handgrip strength was positively associated with GMV (p < 0.001) in nine regions (β from 0.6 to 0.8 and k from 106 to 1927) and knee extension strength in three regions (β from 0.4 to 0.5 and k from 76 to 2776). Squats strength was negatively associated with GMV (p < 0.001) in two regions (β = −0.3, k = 1102 and k = 152) and the 2‐km walking test in one region (β = −0.4, k = 99). Only handgrip strength‐related GMV was associated with cognitive flexibility (p = 0.039, β = 0.215) and spatial working memory (p < 0.03, β 0.247–0.317), but not with EF score (p > 0.05). Muscular strength, but no CRF, may be positively related to GMV in cortical and subcortical regions, with implications for specific cognitive domains rather than the overall EF score. Specifically, handgrip strength was the indicator most associated with higher GMV, while squats strength and CRF were negatively related to GMV. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05186090. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and mental health disorders compared to the general population. Physical exercise might improve their brain health. The overall goal of the HEART-BRAIN randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to investigate the effects of different types of exercise on brain health outcomes in patients with CAD, and the underlying mechanisms., Methods: This three-arm, single-blinded RCT will include 90 patients with CAD (50-75 years). Participants will be randomized into: (1) control group-usual care ( n  = 30), (2) aerobic high-intensity interval training (HIIT) ( n  = 30), or (3) HIIT combined with resistance exercise training ( n  = 30). The 12-week intervention includes 3 supervised sessions (45-min each) per week for the exercise groups. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention. The primary outcome is to determine changes in cerebral blood flow assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Secondary outcomes include changes in brain vascularization, cognitive measures (i.e., general cognition, executive function and episodic memory), and cardiorespiratory fitness. Additional health-related outcomes, and several potential mediators and moderators will be investigated (i.e., brain structure and function, cardiovascular and brain-based biomarkers, hemodynamics, physical function, body composition, mental health, and lifestyle behavior)., Conclusion: The HEART-BRAIN RCT will provide novel insights on how exercise can impact brain health in patients with CAD and the potential mechanisms explaining the heart-brain connection, such as changes in cerebral blood flow. The results may have important clinical implications by increasing the evidence on the effectiveness of exercise-based strategies to delay cognitive decline in this high-risk population., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT06214624]., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Toval, Solis-Urra, Bakker, Sánchez-Aranda, Fernández-Ortega, Prieto, Alonso-Cuenca, González-García, Martín-Fuentes, Fernandez-Gamez, Olvera-Rojas, Coca-Pulido, Bellón, Sclafani, Sanchez-Martinez, Rivera-López, Herrera-Gómez, Peñafiel-Burkhardt, López-Espinosa, Corpas-Pérez, García-Ortega, Vega-Cordoba, Barranco-Moreno, Morales-Navarro, Nieves, Caro-Rus, Amaro-Gahete, Mora-Gonzalez, Vidal-Almela, Carlén, Migueles, Erickson, Moreno-Escobar, García-Orta, Esteban-Cornejo and Ortega.)