Cerebrovascular adaptations to habitual resistance exercise with aging

Abstract

Resistance training (RT) is associated with improved metabolism, bone density, muscular strength, and lower risk of osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and cardiovascular disease. While RT imparts many physiological benefits, cerebrovascular adaptations to chronic RT are not well defined. Participation in RT is associated with greater resting arterial diameter, improved endothelial function, and general cardiovascular health, while simultaneously linked to reductions in central arterial compliance in healthy young men, but not women. However, RT seems to have no effect on arterial compliance in older adults, where compliance is already reduced as part of the normal aging process. Rapid blood pressure fluctuations during resistance exercise, combined with reduced arterial compliance, could lead to cerebral microvasculature damage and subsequent cerebral hypoperfusion. Reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) accompanies normal aging, where chronic reductions in CBF are associated with changes in brain structure and function, and increased risk of neurodegeneration. It remains unclear whether reductions in arterial compliance with RT relate to subclinical cerebrovascular pathology, or if such adaptations require interpretation in the context of RT specifically. No review to date has covered chronic cerebrovascular adaptations to RT, and the intersection these may have with normal aging. The purpose of this narrative review is to synthesize literature pertaining to cerebrovascular adaptations to RT at different stages of the life span. This review also aims to identify gaps in current understanding of long-term impacts of RT on cerebral hemodynamics and provide mechanistic rationale for these adaptations as they relate to aging, the cerebrovasculature and overall brain health.