Effects of a brief HIIT intervention on cognitive performance in older women

AbstractCardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) mitigates age-related decline in cognition and brain volume. Little is known, however, about the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cognitive aging and the relationship between HIIT, cognition, hippocampal subfield volumes, and cerebral oxygen extraction fraction (OEF). Older sedentary women participated in an 8-week HIIT intervention. We conducted cognitive assessments, fitness assessments (VO2max), MRI scans: asymmetric spin echo oxygen extraction fraction (ASE-OEF), high-resolution multiple image co-registration and averaging (HR-MICRA) imaging, and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography before and after the intervention. VO2max increased from baseline (M = 19.36, SD = 2.84) to follow-up (M = 23.25, SD = 3.61),Z =  − 2.93,p <  .001,r = 0.63. Composite cognitive (Z =  − 2.05,p = 0.041), language (Z =  − 2.19,p = 0.028), and visuospatial memory (Z =  − 2.22,p = 0.026),z-scores increased significantly. Hippocampal subfield volumes CA1 and CA3 dentate gyrus and subiculum decreased non-significantly (allp >  0.05); whereas a significant decrease in CA2 (Z =  − 2.045,p = 0.041,r = 0.436) from baseline (M = 29.51; SD = 24.50) to follow-up (M = 24.50; SD = 13.38) was observed. Right hemisphere gray matter was correlated with languagez-scores (p = 0.025;r = 0.679). The subiculum was correlated with a...
Source: AGE - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research