Personalising exercise recommendations for brain health: considerations and future directions

Abstract

The societal value of strategies that delay the onset and progression of dementia cannot be overstated. Physical activity-unstructured and structured-is a promising, cost-effective strategy for the promotion of brain health. However, a large degree of variation exists in its efficacy. Therefore, to increase its utility as 'medication' for healthy cognitive ageing, it is imperative to identify key moderators and mediators of the positive effects of targeted exercise training on brain health. In this commentary, we focus on the type of targeted exercise training, the determinants of individual variation, including biological sex and genotypic factors, and the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its influence on the brain. We argue that a better understanding of these factors will allow for evidence-based, personalised, tailored exercise recommendations that go beyond the one-size-fits-all approach to successfully combat dementia.

Would Adding Low Doses of Lithium Salts and/or Prebiotic Fibre Interventions to an Effective Exercise Protocol Further Enhance Retention of Cognitive Integrity? Potential for Preventing Loss of Cognition with Aging Using Combinations of Low Cost Regimens

“…In addition, females appear to lose their cardiovascular protection after menopause and are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease [57,58]. Exercise has also been reported to be more effective in females in relation to cognitive decline [29] and may be more effective in the endothelial dysfunction in dementia [12], and the vascular form(s) of the condition [3]. There are also sex differences in obesity (females > males) with lithium responsive conditions such as bipolar diseases [59], as well as other mental illnesses [60].…”

“…The use of exercise to inhibit loss of cognition is been beneficial in multiple studies [3,[27][28][29]. Not J. Biomedical Science and Engineering only is exercise effective as evidenced by improvement in cognition test scores, but also in the activity of specific areas of the brain as assessed by functional MRI [29].…”

“…Not J. Biomedical Science and Engineering only is exercise effective as evidenced by improvement in cognition test scores, but also in the activity of specific areas of the brain as assessed by functional MRI [29]. Recent studies have been attempting to optimize the exercise protocols, as well as determining whether subsets of patients may benefit more than others from exercise [3]. In this regard, it is apparent that sex-dependent variation exists in the effectiveness of exercise, with females influenced somewhat differently than males [3,29].…”

“…Recent studies have been attempting to optimize the exercise protocols, as well as determining whether subsets of patients may benefit more than others from exercise [3]. In this regard, it is apparent that sex-dependent variation exists in the effectiveness of exercise, with females influenced somewhat differently than males [3,29]. Interestingly, sex differences in exercise protocol responsiveness have been noted in both older humans [30] and in older rodent models [31].…”

“…Interestingly, such conditions do "run in families", implying a genetic component, and they mainly affect females [>70%] more often than males [3][4][5]. However, it is unlikely that genetics, or even epigenetics could account for the tremendous increases in the incidence of dementia and loss of cognition.…”