Effect of High-Intensity Power Training on Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Secondary Outcomes of the GREAT2DO Study

Abstract

We sought to determine the effects of 12 months of power training on cognition, and whether improvements in body composition, muscle strength and/or aerobic capacity (VO2peak) were associated with improvements in cognition in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Participants with T2D were randomized to power training or low intensity sham exercise control condition, three days per week for 12 months. Cognitive outcomes included memory, attention/speed, executive function, and global cognition. Other relevant outcomes included VO2peak, strength, and whole body and regional body composition. One hundred and three adults with T2D (mean age 67.9 years; SD 5.9; 50.5% women) were enrolled and analyzed. Unexpectedly, there was a nearly significant improvement in global cognition (P=0.05) in the sham group relative to power training, although both groups improved over time (P<0.01). There were significant interactions between group allocation and body composition or muscle strength in the models predicting cognitive changes. Therefore, after stratifying by group allocation, improvements in immediate memory were associated with increases in relative skeletal muscle mass (r=0.38, P=0.03), reductions in relative body fat (r=–0.40, P=0.02), and increases in knee extension strength were directly related to changes in executive function (r=–0.41, P=0.02) within the power training group. None of these relationships were present in the sham group (P>0.05). Although power training did not significantly improve cognition compared to low-intensity exercise control, improvements in cognitive function in older adults were associated with hypothesized improvements in body composition and strength after power training.

Acute Effects of a Maximal Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test on Cardiac Hemodynamic and Cerebrovascular Response and Their Relationship with Cognitive Performance in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes

“…There is no study showing a mediating effect of cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive performance in T2D, but we previously showed that fit obese individuals have better cognitive performances compared to their unfit obese peers, and have similar cognitive performances to those of non-obese controls [ 23 ]. Memory performance was associated with body composition changes in previous studies in T2D [ 45 ]. Strategies to improve both cardiorespiratory fitness and cognition have been proposed, such as exercise training [ 46 ].…”

Dynamic resistance exercise training in the treatment of chronic diseases among older adults: A systematic review of randomized controlled studiesQiwei Fan#, Junli Wang#

“…DRT had a frequency of 2.9 ± 1.2 times per week, at moderate to vigorous intensity (n = 6), a volume of 6.1 ± 3.3 exercises, 3.2 ± 0.7 sets, 11.2 ± 3.6 repetitions for 25.14 ± 16.12 weeks with a mean adherence of 85.85%±10% (n = 6). The number of studies reported FIVDP was 5 (128,129,131,132,134).…”

“…The major outcomes varied among seven studies, including muscle quality and muscle strength (128), glycemic control (129,130), in ammation and endothelial function (131), physical performance (132), muscle strength (133), and cognition (134). Four of them found signi cant improvement in the major outcomes (128)(129)(130)132).…”

“…No studies found serious adverse events during the training periods. Six studies(48, 82,103,122,125,134) reported minor adverse events majorly including musculoskeletal pain.Effects in different chronic diseases CancerA total of 10 studies (43-52) including 861 (121women) patients aged 69.3 ± 2.36 years with prostate cancer(43)(44)(45)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51), early-stage breast cancer(52), or advanced cancer (46) were identi ed. In prostate cancer, ve studies(44,45,47,49,50) recruited patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.…”