ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH12
INTRODUCTION: As the average age of the global population continues to increase, pathological neurodegeneration and the resulting cognitive decline have become major public health concerns. Because effective treatments are limited once neurodegeneration begins, strategies to prevent or slow cognitive decline are essential. Although physical exercise is associated with cognitive benefits, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain insufficiently understood. For example, elevated lactate levels, potentially reflecting impaired oxidative metabolism, and reduced sleep quality are both linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline, but it remains unclear whether these factors can be mitigated through resistance training. METHODS: We therefore investigated whether 12 weeks of explosive lower-body resistance training leads to decreased brain lactate levels and improved sleep quality in community-dwelling older adults. Thirty-six participants aged 64 to 81 years completed pre and post assessments, including lactate concentrations in the sensorimotor cortex measured with 7 T magnetic resonance spectroscopy, objective sleep parameters assessed with wearable polysomnography, and subjective sleep quality measured using the SF-A/R questionnaire for single-night comparison and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for a one-month sleep quality assessment. Participants were assigned either to a resistance training group (RT) with three sessions per week or to a control group (CON) instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle. RESULTS: Compared with CON, repeated-measures ANCOVA with sex as a covariate showed that RT had significantly reduced resting lactate concentrations (p = .026, partial eta squared (p_et2) = .23), improved objective sleep efficiency (p = .036, p_eta2 = .14), and increased total sleep time (p = .034, p_eta2 = .14) after training. No significant Group x Time interactions were observed for subjective sleep quality. In the RT group, the additional sleep time was predominantly spent in REM sleep (paired t-test; p_bonf. = .048, d = 0.60). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that resistance training may support brain health in older adults with fragmented sleep and impaired oxidative brain metabolism.
Read CV Selin ScherrerECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH12
INTRODUCTION: Identifying modifiable factors to mitigate cognitive decline is a public health priority. Although physical activity (PA) protects against cognitive deterioration, underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood, with prior research emphasizing physiological pathways. Psychological frailty (PF)—diminished psychological resilience and impaired emotional regulation—has emerged as a risk factor for adverse health outcomes in older populations. This study investigates the association between PA and cognitive decline among middle-aged and older Chinese adults and examines whether PF mediates this relationship. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 3,657 participants aged ≥45 years. PA was quantified using metabolic equivalents (METs). Cognitive decline was assessed with the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). PF was measured using a validated Psychological Frailty Index (PFI) integrating emotional status, psychological distress, and functional limitations. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models examined nonlinear PA–cognition associations. Generalized additive models tested PF's mediating role, adjusting for demographics, lifestyle factors, and chronic conditions. RESULTS: A significant nonlinear dose–response relationship emerged between PA and cognitive decline (P-non-linear < 0.05). Relative to moderate-to-high PA (Q3), both low PA (Q1: OR=1.27, 95%CI:1.05–1.55) and very high PA (Q4: OR=1.33, 95%CI:1.07–1.65) were associated with elevated cognitive decline risk, suggesting an optimal PA range. This inverse association was more pronounced among males, rural residents, less-educated individuals, and those with poorer function. Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect pathway: PA was nonlinearly associated with PF (Path a), and higher PF was significantly associated with greater cognitive decline (Path b, P<0.001). Including PF partially attenuated the direct PA–cognition relationship, supporting its mediating role. CONCLUSION: PF mediates the PA–cognitive decline link in middle-aged and older adults, confirming a nonlinear association and identifying an optimal activity level. Findings support "vulnerability amplification," wherein PA most benefits disadvantaged groups. This suggests PA benefits cognition both directly via neurobiological mechanisms and indirectly by enhancing psychological resilience—a "body–mind–cognition" pathway integrating lifestyle factors in cognitive aging. Public health strategies should promote sustained, moderate-intensity PA and incorporate psychological support, particularly for vulnerable populations.This study provides novel evidence that PF mediates the PA–cognitive decline relationship in middle-aged and older adults. Public health strategies should promote sustained, moderate-intensity PA and incorporate psychological support interventions, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Read CV Zhonghui HeECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH12
INTRODUCTION: Depressive symptoms are common in later life and substantially contribute to morbidity and reduced quality of life¹. In older adults, lower activity levels and poorer physical performance are frequently associated with greater depressive symptom burden², and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has also been linked to reduced physical function³. However, evidence focusing specifically on older adults with MCI remains limited, and it is unclear which physical function components are independently associated with depressive symptoms after accounting for habitual exercise. Therefore, in this study we examined associations between physical function indicators and depressive symptoms in older adults with MCI. METHODS: Community-dwelling older adults were recruited through local organizations. MCI was defined by an education-adjusted Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Japanese version score of 18–25. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15). Physical performance measures included handgrip strength, the 30-s chair stand test (CS-30), and usual gait speed. Covariates included sex, age, body mass index (BMI), chronic disease status, and exercise frequency (days/week category). Negative binomial regression with a log link estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Among 108 older adults with MCI, mean age was 76.6 ± 6.7 years, 56.5% were female, and mean BMI was 22.6 ± 2.8 kg/m². The mean GDS-15 score was 2.04 ± 2.22. In fully adjusted models, higher gait speed and higher exercise frequency were independently associated with lower GDS-15 scores. Each 0.1 m/s increase in gait speed was associated with a lower GDS-15 score (IRR = 0.888, 95% CI 0.810–0.974, p = 0.012), and higher exercise frequency was similarly associated with lower GDS-15 scores (IRR = 0.730, 95% CI 0.573–0.931, p = 0.011). Handgrip strength and CS-30 were not significantly associated with GDS-15 scores. Sensitivity analyses using gait speed tertiles (reference: fastest tertile) showed a significant overall tertile effect (p < 0.001). Compared with the fastest tertile, the intermediate tertile had higher depressive symptom burden (IRR = 2.494, 95% CI 1.455–4.274, p < 0.001), whereas the slowest tertile did not differ significantly (IRR = 1.300, 95% CI 0.628–2.690, p = 0.480). CONCLUSION: In older adults with MCI, gait speed and exercise frequency were independently associated with GDS-15 scores, whereas handgrip strength and CS-30 were not after adjustment. These findings indicate that mobility-related performance and habitual exercise may be clinically relevant markers when evaluating depressive symptoms in MCI. Longitudinal studies are required to clarify directionality and underlying mechanisms. 1.WHO. Mental health of older adults. 2.Mura et al. Physical activity in depressed elderly. A systematic review. 3.Fuentes et al. Functional parameters indicative of mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review using instrumented kinematic assessment.
Read CV Yutong ShiECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH12