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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]

It has been demonstrated that physical activity contributes to a healthier life. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the neural mechanisms producing these effects. One of the keystones to deal with this problem is to use training programs with equal loads of physical activity. However, irregular motor and stress responses have been found in murine exercise models. Habituation to forced exercise facilitates a complete response to a training program in all rodents, reaching the same load of physical activity among animals. Here, it was evaluated if glucose and lactate – which are stress biomarkers – are increased during the habituation to exercise. Sprague-Dawley rats received an 8-days habituation protocol with progressive increments of time and speed of running. Then, experimental and control (non-habituated) rats were subjected to an incremental test. Blood samples were obtained to determine plasmatic glucose and lactate levels before, immediately after and 30 min after each session of training. Crh and Avp mRNA expression was determined by two-step qPCR. Our results revealed that glucose and lactate levels are not increased during the habituation period and tend to decrease toward the end of the protocol. Also, Crh and Avp were not chronically activated by the habituation program. Lactate and glucose, determined after the incremental test, were higher in control rats without previous contact with the wheel, compared with habituated and wheel control rats. These results suggest that the implementation of an adaptive phase prior to forced exercise programs might avoid non-specific stress responses. [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.)