Beneficial Effect of Exercise on Cognitive Function during Peripheral Arterial Disease: Potential Involvement of Myokines and Microglial Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype Enhancement

Abstract

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), leading to intermittent claudication, critical ischemia with rest pain, and/or tissue damage, is a public health issue associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the link between PAD, cognitive function, and whether exercise might reduce cognitive dysfunction in PAD patients, as previously observed concerning both quality of life and prognosis. This review highlights the fact that patients suffering from PAD often demonstrate cognitive dysfunction characterized by reduced performance in nonverbal reasoning, reduced verbal fluency, and decreased information processing speed and a greater risk for progression toward dementia. Further, the data presented support that physical exercise, likely through myokine secretion and microglial anti-inflammatory phenotype enhancement, might participate in the cognition protection in common clinical settings.

The Rise of Mitochondria in Peripheral Arterial Disease Physiopathology: Experimental and Clinical Data

“…PAD includes all stages of the disease, from asymptomatic with abolition of distal pulses, to intermittent claudication or critical limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) characterized by rest pain and/or ulcers. PAD is also often associated with cognitive dysfunction characterized by reduced performance in nonverbal reasoning, reduced verbal fluency, and decreased information processing speed [4]. Thus, PAD is a serious condition threatening both limb (risk of amputation) and vital prognosis of the patients.…”

Aging Exacerbates Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Mitochondrial Respiration Impairment in Skeletal Muscle

“…With more than 200 million people diagnosed in the world, PAD is a public health issue. PAD prevalence is high in aged people and although individuals over the age of 70 present the highest risk, revascularization in nonagenarian patients appeared effective as long as the patient was not fully dependent [1,2,3,4,5,6]. However, improved therapeutic options based on PAD pathophysiology are still needed.…”

Envejecimiento neural, plasticidad cerebral y Ejercicio: Avances desde la óptica de Fisioterapia

“…Específicamente la inflamación, el estrés oxidativo, la disfunción mitocondrial y vascular son factores claves en la fisiopatología tanto de la enfermedad arterial periférica como de las enfermedades neurodegenerativas. [29].…”