Journal article
Beyond vascularization: aerobic fitness is associated with N-acetylaspartate and working memory
Brain and behavior, Vol.2(1), pp.32-41
01/2012
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.30
PMCID: PMC3343297
PMID: 22574272
Abstract
Aerobic exercise is a promising form of prevention for cognitive decline; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which exercise and fitness impacts the human brain. Several studies have postulated that increased regional brain volume and function are associated with aerobic fitness because of increased vascularization rather than increased neural tissue per se. We tested this position by examining the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels in the right frontal cortex using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. NAA is a nervous system specific metabolite found predominantly in cell bodies of neurons. We reasoned that if aerobic fitness was predominantly influencing the vasculature of the brain, then NAA levels should not vary as a function of aerobic fitness. However, if aerobic fitness influences the number or viability of neurons, then higher aerobic fitness levels might be associated with greater concentrations of NAA. We examined NAA levels, aerobic fitness, and cognitive performance in 137 older adults without cognitive impairment. Consistent with the latter hypothesis, we found that higher aerobic fitness levels offset an age-related decline in NAA. Furthermore, NAA mediated an association between fitness and backward digit span performance, suggesting that neuronal viability as measured by NAA is important in understanding fitness-related cognitive enhancement. Since NAA is found exclusively in neural tissue, our results indicate that the effect of fitness on the human brain extends beyond vascularization; aerobic fitness is associated with neuronal viability in the frontal cortex of older adults.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Beyond vascularization: aerobic fitness is associated with N-acetylaspartate and working memory
- Creators
- Kirk I Erickson - Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of PittsburghAndrea M Weinstein - Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of PittsburghBradley P Sutton - Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of IllinoisRuchika Shaurya Prakash - Department of Psychology, The Ohio State UniversityMichelle W Voss - Department of Psychology, University of IllinoisLaura Chaddock - Department of Psychology, University of IllinoisAmanda N Szabo - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of IllinoisEmily L Mailey - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of IllinoisSiobhan M White - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of IllinoisThomas R Wojcicki - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of IllinoisEdward McAuley - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of IllinoisArthur F Kramer - Department of Psychology, University of Illinois
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Brain and behavior, Vol.2(1), pp.32-41
- DOI
- 10.1002/brb3.30
- PMID
- 22574272
- PMCID
- PMC3343297
- NLM abbreviation
- Brain Behav
- ISSN
- 2162-3279
- eISSN
- 2162-3279
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Inc; Hoboken, NJ, USA
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2012
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984002339102771
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