Effect of exercise engagement and cardiovascular risk on neuronal injury

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONNeuronal health as a potential underlying mechanism of the beneficial effects of exercise has been understudied in humans. Furthermore, there has been limited consideration of potential moderators (e.g., cardiovascular health) on the effects of exercise.METHODSClinically normal middle‐aged and older adults completed a validated questionnaire about exercise engagement over a 10‐year period (n = 75; age 63 ± 8 years). A composite estimate of neuronal injury was formulated that included cerebrospinal fluid‐based measures of visinin‐like protein‐1, neurogranin, synaptosomal‐associated protein 25, and neurofilament light chain. Cardiovascular risk was estimated using the Framingham Risk Score.RESULTSCross‐sectional analyses showed that greater exercise engagement was associated with less neuronal injury in the group with lower cardiovascular risk (p = 0.008), but not the group with higher cardiovascular risk (p = 0.209).DISCUSSIONCardiovascular risk is an important moderator to consider when examining the effects of exercise on cognitive and neural health, and may be relevant to personalized exercise recommendations.Highlights We examined the association between exercise engagement and neuronal injury. Vascular risk moderated the association between exercise and neuronal injury. Cardiovascular risk may be relevant to personalized exercise recommendations.

Plasma neurofilament light chain protein predicts greater brain-age gap, cognition, and cardiovascular risk in people with HIV

“…In fact, improved cognition was also observed over a 4-year period for those more engaged in physical activity. Interestingly, in a different study of middle-aged and older adults, Stojanovic et al [15] found greater physical activity engagement was associated with less plasma NfL in a group with low cardiovascular risk (i.e., The Framingham Risk Score), but not in a group with higher cardiovascular risk. This suggests that the benefits of physical activity are attenuated by cardiovascular risk.…”