Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Mar 4:13:838450.
doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.838450. eCollection 2022.

Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Cerebral Oxygenation in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review

Talia Salzman  1 , Olivier Dupuy  2   3 , Sarah Anne Fraser  4
Affiliations
Review

Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Cerebral Oxygenation in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review

Talia Salzman et al. Front Physiol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Exercise is known to improve cognitive functioning and the cardiorespiratory hypothesis suggests that this is due to the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) level and cerebral oxygenation. The purpose of this systematic review is to consolidate findings from functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies that examined the effect of CRF level on cerebral oxygenation during exercise and cognitive tasks.

Methods: Medline, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science were systematically searched. Studies categorizing CRF level using direct or estimated measures of V̇O2max and studies measuring cerebral oxygenation using oxyhemoglobin ([HbO2]) and deoxyhemoglobin ([HHb]) were included. Healthy young, middle-aged, and older adults were included whereas patient populations and people with neurological disorders were excluded.

Results: Following PRISMA guidelines, 14 studies were retained following abstract and full-text screening. Cycle ergometer or treadmill tests were used as direct measures of CRF, and one study provided an estimated value using a questionnaire. Seven studies examined the effects of CRF on cerebral oxygenation during exercise and the remaining seven evaluated it during cognitive tasks. Increased [HbO2] in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was observed during cognitive tasks in higher compared to lower fit individuals. Only one study demonstrated increased [HHb] in the higher fit group. Exercise at submaximal intensities revealed increased [HbO2] in the PFC in higher compared to lower fit groups. Greater PFC [HHb] was also observed in long- vs. short-term trained males but not in females. Primary motor cortex (M1) activation did not differ between groups during a static handgrip test but [HHb] increased beyond maximal intensity in a lower compared to higher fit group.

Conclusion: Consistent with the cardiorespiratory hypothesis, higher fit young, middle-aged, and older adults demonstrated increased cerebral oxygenation compared to lower fit groups. Future research should implement randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that improve CRF and cerebral oxygenation longitudinally.

Keywords: cardiorespiratory fitness; cerebral oxygenation; cognition; exercise; functional near-infrared spectroscopy; older adults; younger adults.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

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.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
PRISMA flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Aadahl M., Kjaer M., Kristensen J. H., Mollerup B., Jørgensen T. (2007). Self-reported physical activity compared with maximal oxygen uptake in adults. Eur. J. Cardiovasc. Prev. Rehabilit. 14 422–428. 10.1097/HJR.0b013e3280128d00 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Agbangla N. F., Fraser S. A., Albinet C. T. (2019b). An Overview of the Cardiorespiratory Hypothesis and Its Potential Contribution to the Care of Neurodegenerative Disease in Africa. Medicina 55:601. 10.3390/medicina55090601 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Agbangla N. F., Maillot P., Vitiello D. (2021). Mini-Review of Studies Testing the Cardiorespiratory Hypothesis With Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS): overview and Perspectives. Front. Neurosci. 15:699948. 10.3389/fnins.2021.699948 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Agbangla N. F, Audiffren M., Pylouster J., Albinet C. (2019a). Working Memory, Cognitive Load and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Testing the CRUNCH Model with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Brain Sci. 9:38. 10.3390/brainsci9020038 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ainslie P. N., Cotter J. D., George K. P., Lucas S., Murrell C., Shave R., et al. (2008). Elevation in cerebral blood flow velocity with aerobic fitness throughout healthy human ageing: Cerebral blood flow and aerobic fitness. J. Physiol. 586 4005–4010. 10.1113/jphysiol.2008.158279 - DOI - PMC - PubMed