Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the feasibility to conduct a structured aerobic exercise training (AET) protocol in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly focusing on arterial stiffness and neuropsychological function.
Background: AET has been shown to improve vascular and brain health in healthy adults, although its effect remains unclear in patients with TBI. Our previous cross-sectional study showed that TBI patients have higher carotid arterial stiffness compared with healthy age-matched adults. We hypothesized that AET also improves cardiorespiratory fitness, decreases carotid arterial stiffness, and further improves brain health in patients with TBI.
Design/Methods: Seventeen TBI survivors (10 mild and 7 moderate-to-severe; age: 48±13 years, 10 women) with persistent neurological symptoms 6–60 months after initial injury were recruited and randomized to 3-month moderate-intensity AET or control stretching program. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) using a modified Astrand-Saltin treadmill protocol. Carotid arterial compliance was measured as an inverse index of arterial stiffness using ultrasonography and applanation tonometry. Neuropsychological function was assessed using the NIH Toolbox.
Results: Ten participants were randomized to AET group and seven to stretching group. No age, gender, VO2peak, or cognition performance differences were noted at baseline. Although no statistically significant changes were observed following the intervention, different trends were observed. VO2peak increased by 7% in AET yet decreased by 4% in stretching; arterial compliance increased by 12 % in AET and decreased by 2% in stretching; NIH Toolbox fluid composite score improved by 15% in AET and 9% in stretching; and the NIH Toolbox total composite score improved by 7% in AET versus 4% in stretching.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest the potential benefits of AET and provide preliminary information for power analysis and the design of a large-scale clinical trial to determine the brain health benefits of AET following TBI.
Disclosure: Dr. Le has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tomoto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cullum has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Madden has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dieppa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ding has nothing to disclose.
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