Abstract
Objective: To test the hypothesis that greater levels of leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in mid- or late-life are associated with larger grey matter volumes, less white matter disease and fewer cerebrovascular lesions measured in late-life, we utilized data from 1,604 participants enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
Methods: Leisure-time MVPA was quantified using a past-year recall, interviewer-administered questionnaire at baseline and 25 years later and classified as none, low, middle, and high at each time point. The presence of cerebrovascular lesions, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), white matter integrity (mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD)), and grey matter volumes were quantified with 3-tesla MRI in late-life. The odds of cerebrovascular lesions were estimated with logistic regression. Linear regression estimated the mean differences in WMH, mean FA and MD, and grey matter volumes.
Results: Among 1,604 participants (mean age: 54 years, 55% female, 27% Black), 550 (34%), 176 (11%), 250 (16%), and 628 (39%) reported no, low, middle, and high MVPA in mid-life, respectively. Compared to no MVPA in mid-life, high MVPA was associated with more intact white matter integrity in late-life [mean FA difference=0.13 per standard deviation (SD, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.26); mean MD difference= -0.11 per SD (95% CI: -0.21, -0.004)]. High MVPA in mid-life was also associated with a lower odds of lacunar infarcts (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.99). High MVPA was not associated with grey matter volumes. High MVPA compared to no MVPA in late-life was associated with most brain measures.
Conclusions: Greater levels of physical activity in mid-life may protect against cerebrovascular sequelae in late-life.
- © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
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