A Novel Intensity-Based Approach to Increasing Prefrontal Cerebral Oxygenation by Walking Exercise

Abstract

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) increases after moderately intense exercise and is significantly correlated with cognitive function. However, no intensity-based physiological indicator for enhancing rCBF during low- to-moderate-intensity exercise has been proposed. The purpose of this study was to develop a physiological indicator housed in a wearable device to determine whether low-to-moderate intensity walking can increase rCBF. A cross-sectional study with four parallel arms was performed. Each of 114 participants was randomly assigned to either the moderate, low-to-moderate, low, or very low walking intensity groups. A novel dynamic cardiac force meter (CFM) was used to quantify walking intensity. Heart rate and hemoencephalography (HEG) were measured during each phase of the session. Compared to baseline, HEG significantly increased in both the submaximal exercise and recovery phases in members of the low-to-moderate intensity group but not the very low intensity group. Low-to-moderate intensity walking improves prefrontal cerebral blood oxygenation. The present results demonstrate the usefulness of a dynamic CFM housed in a wearable device for quantifying the intensity of walking exercise aimed at increasing prefrontal blood oxygenation. The results of the study may help guide further development of exercise strategies for brain disease patients and the ageing population.

Topical Cellular/Tissue and Molecular Aspects Regarding Nonpharmacological Interventions in Alzheimer’s Disease—A Systematic Review

“…However, the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) is "an index of prefrontal regional brain oxygenation", and its fluctuations are considered detrimental to cognition, thereby possibly also reflecting the recovery process in traumatic brain injury (TBI), AD, and mild cognitive decline (MCI). Even just walking at "low or moderate intensity" may ameliorate "cognitive function mediated by the increased prefrontal oxygenation" it produces [105]. Additionally, exercise enhances brain metabolic activity and the synthesis/release of BDNF, "which support brain plasticity and angiogenesis in the hippocampus" [106].…”