Strength gains after 12 weeks of resistance training correlate with neurochemical markers of brain health in older adults: a randomized control 1H-MRS study

Abstract

Physical exercise is considered a potent countermeasure against various age-associated physiological deterioration processes. We therefore assessed the effect of 12 weeks of resistance training on brain metabolism in older adults (age range: 60–80 years). Participants either underwent two times weekly resistance training program which consisted of four lower body exercises performed for 3 sets of 6–10 repetitions at 70–85% of 1 repetition maximum (n = 20) or served as the passive control group (n = 21). The study used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify the ratio of total N-acetyl aspartate, total choline, glutamate-glutamine complex, and myo-inositol relative to total creatine (tNAA/tCr, tCho/tCr, Glx/tCr, and mIns/tCr respectively) in the hippocampus (HPC), sensorimotor (SM1), and prefrontal (dlPFC) cortices. The peak torque (PT at 60°/s) of knee extension and flexion was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer. We used repeated measures time × group ANOVA to assess time and group differences and correlation coefficient analyses to examine the pre-to-post change (∆) associations between PT and neurometabolite variables. The control group showed significant declines in tNAA/tCr and Glx/tCr of SM1, and tNAA/tCr of dlPFC after 12 weeks, which were not seen in the experimental group. A significant positive correlation was found between ∆PT knee extension and ∆SM1 Glx/tCr, ∆dlPFC Glx/tCr and between ∆PT knee flexion and ∆dlPFC mIns/tCr in the experimental group. Overall, findings suggest that resistance training seems to elicit alterations in various neurometabolites that correspond to exercise-induced “preservation” of brain health, while simultaneously having its beneficial effect on augmenting muscle functional characteristics in older adults.

Resistance training's impact on blood biomarkers and cognitive function in older adults with low and high risk of mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial

“…Missing values existed for IL-6 (n = 3), KYN (n = 1) and IGF-1 (n = 1). The MVC of knee extension torque was measured only in a subgroup of participants (n = 31), used for analysis in a study of Sheoran et al (2023) [25].…”

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation to combat cognitive aging in people with spinal cord injury: protocol for a single case experimental design study

“…Physical exercise interventions have been shown to have anti-in ammatory effects, induce an elevation of neurotrophic factors in the bloodstream, potentiate neuroplastic processes in the brain, increase brain volume and bene t cognitive function [18] [19] [20] [21]. The anti-in ammatory effect and increase in neurotrophic factors during exercise results in part from the release of products from contracting muscle cells (i.e.…”

Myokines as mediators of exercise-induced cognitive changes in older adults: protocol for a comprehensive living systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Neuroimaging techniques developed along the years employed for examining the relationship between brain health, cognition and exercise have significantly expanded the understanding of the effect of chronic exercise [e.g., MRI – Erickson et al (2011) ; fMRI – Chen et al (2019) ; fNIRS – Eggenberger et al (2016) ; EEG – Schättin et al (2016) ; PET – Jonasson et al (2019) ; 1H-MRS – Sheoran et al (2023) ], as well as acute exercise on brain health and cognition (e.g., Hsieh et al, 2018 ; Callow et al, 2021 ).…”