View clinical trials related to Cerebrovascular Function.
Filter by:Aging tends to compromise the ability to solve problems, remember details, and process information. At the extreme level, this normal cognitive decline can interfere with independent living. Because most brain dysfunctions become irreversible before patients show clear signs in the clinic, there is a pressing need to prioritize preventative countermeasures. Exercise is a promising strategy to slow or reverse these losses. While most studies have looked at running or cycling exercise, little is known about the effects of weight lifting exercise. In addition, vascular health is intimately linked with cognitive abilities and risk of stroke, making it a primary target for intervention. Previous weight lifting studies suggest that blood vessels in the brain are a likely site of adaptation. The goal of this research is to understand how weight lifting exercise improves cognitive function in older adults. Specifically, the contribution of blood vessel changes in the brain after 12 weeks of weight lifting exercise 3 days per week. These vascular improvements may provide the link between physical and cognitive health, while simultaneously reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. To determine this, advanced brain imaging techniques will be used to measure blood flow/volume changes in the brain non-invasively. Physical capacity (i.e. strength), body composition (i.e. lean mass, fat mass), and blood markers will also be assessed using standard protocols, and each of these variables will be tested for their relationship with cognitive functions. Understanding how weight lifting exercise improves cognitive function will support the development of comprehensive treatments targeting overall brain health. With no current cures for dementia, this information will be vital in prescribing exercise for specific patient needs to reducing the risk of dementia and stroke. In addition, the promise of exercise therapies extends beyond the target disease, having further benefits to the well-being of participants. These types of treatments positively impact fundamental aging processes, and thus reduce the risk of all-cause mortality. Even with moderate benefits to a specific disease like dementia, the global impact on healthcare would be substantial.
Cognitive performance is negatively related to an impaired glucose metabolism, possibly due to impairments in brain vascular function. Supported by the statement from the American Heart and Stroke Association that physical exercise is one of the most effective strategies to protect against cognitive decline, we now hypothesize that exercise-induced changes in glucose metabolism cause beneficial effects on brain vascular function thereby improving cognitive performance. The primary objective of this intervention study is thus to evaluate in sedentary elderly men the effect of a 8-week aerobic-based exercise program on cerebral blood flow, as quantified by the non-invasive gold standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion method Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL). Cerebral blood flow is a robust and sensitive physiological marker of brain vascular function. Secondary objectives are to examine effects on glucose metabolism using the oral glucose tolerance test and cognitive performance as assessed with a neurophysiological test battery.