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. 2022 Apr 20:16:854175.
doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.854175. eCollection 2022.

Molecular and Brain Volume Changes Following Aerobic Exercise, Cognitive and Combined Training in Physically Inactive Healthy Late-Middle-Aged Adults: The Projecte Moviment Randomized Controlled Trial

Alba Castells-Sánchez  1   2 , Francesca Roig-Coll  1   2 , Rosalía Dacosta-Aguayo  1   3   4 , Noemí Lamonja-Vicente  1   2   3   5 , Pere Torán-Monserrat  3   6 , Guillem Pera  3 , Alberto García-Molina  4   7 , José Maria Tormos  4   7 , Pilar Montero-Alía  3 , Antonio Heras-Tébar  3 , Juan José Soriano-Raya  1   2 , Cynthia Cáceres  8 , Sira Domènech  9 , Marc Via  1   2   5 , Kirk I Erickson  10   11 , Maria Mataró  1   2   5
Affiliations

Molecular and Brain Volume Changes Following Aerobic Exercise, Cognitive and Combined Training in Physically Inactive Healthy Late-Middle-Aged Adults: The Projecte Moviment Randomized Controlled Trial

Alba Castells-Sánchez et al. Front Hum Neurosci. .

Abstract

Behavioral interventions have shown promising neuroprotective effects, but the cascade of molecular, brain and behavioral changes involved in these benefits remains poorly understood. Projecte Moviment is a 12-week (5 days per week-45 min per day) multi-domain, single-blind, proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial examining the cognitive effect and underlying mechanisms of an aerobic exercise (AE), computerized cognitive training (CCT) and a combined (COMB) groups compared to a waitlist control group. Adherence was > 80% for 82/109 participants recruited (62% female; age = 58.38 ± 5.47). In this study we report intervention-related changes in plasma biomarkers (BDNF, TNF-α, HGF, ICAM-1, SDF1-α) and structural-MRI (brain volume) and how they related to changes in physical activity and individual variables (age and sex) and their potential role as mediators in the cognitive changes. Our results show that although there were no significant changes in molecular biomarker concentrations in any intervention group, changes in ICAM-1 and SDF1-α were negatively associated with changes in physical activity outcomes in AE and COMB groups. Brain volume changes were found in the CCT showing a significant increase in precuneus volume. Sex moderated the brain volume change in the AE and COMB groups, suggesting that men may benefit more than women. Changes in molecular biomarkers and brain volumes did not significantly mediate the cognitive-related benefits found previously for any group. This study shows crucial initial molecular and brain volume changes related to lifestyle interventions at early stages and highlights the value of examining activity parameters, individual difference characteristics and using a multi-level analysis approach to address these questions.

Keywords: BDNF; aerobic exercise; brain volume; combined training; computerized cognitive training; neuroinflammation.

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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
CONSORT flow diagram.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Sex difference in changes in brain volumes (Level 2) in mm3 for group AE. WM, white matter; DPF, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Sex difference in changes in brain volumes (Level 2) in mm3 for group COMB. DPF, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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