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Physical Activity and Hippocampal Sub-Region Structure in Older Adults with Memory Complaints.
- Source :
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease; 2018, Vol. 61 Issue 3, p1089-1096, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Physical activity (PA) plays a major role in maintaining cognition in older adults. PA has been shown to be correlated with total hippocampal volume, a memory-critical region within the medial temporal lobe (MTL). However, research on associations between PA and MTL sub-region integrity is limited.<bold>Objective: </bold>To examine the relationship between PA, MTL thickness, and its sub-regions, and cognitive function in non-demented older adults with memory complaints.<bold>Methods: </bold>Twenty-nine subjects aged ≥60 years, with memory complaints were recruited for this cross-sectional study. PA was tracked for 7 days using accelerometers, and average number of steps/day determined. Subjects were categorized into two groups: those who walked ≤4000 steps/day (lower PA) and those with >4000 steps/day (higher PA). Subjects received neuropsychological testing and 3T MRI scans. Nonparametric ANCOVAs controlling for age examined differences between the two groups.<bold>Results: </bold>Twenty-six subjects aged 72.7(8.1) years completed the study. The higher PA group (n = 13) had thicker fusiform gyrus (median difference = 0.11 mm, effect size (ES) = 1.43, p = 0.001) and parahippocampal cortex (median difference = 0.12 mm, ES = 0.93, p = 0.04) compared to the lower PA group. The higher PA group also exhibited superior performance in attention and information-processing speed (median difference = 0.90, ES = 1.61, p = 0.003) and executive functioning (median difference = 0.97, ES = 1.24, p = 0.05). Memory recall was not significantly different between the two groups.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Older non-demented individuals complaining of memory loss who walked >4000 steps each day had thicker MTL sub-regions and better cognitive functioning than those who walked ≤4000 steps. Future studies should include longitudinal analyses and explore mechanisms mediating hippocampal related atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- PHYSICAL activity
HIPPOCAMPUS physiology
MEMORY disorders in old age
COGNITIVE ability
CEREBRAL atrophy
DIAGNOSIS
PHYSIOLOGY
GERIATRIC assessment
COGNITION
COMPARATIVE studies
EXERCISE
HIPPOCAMPUS (Brain)
MAGNETIC resonance imaging
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL tests
RESEARCH methodology
MEDICAL cooperation
MEMORY
MEMORY disorders
RESEARCH
EVALUATION research
CROSS-sectional method
EXECUTIVE function
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13872877
- Volume :
- 61
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 127326889
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-170586