Artery Research

Volume 6, Issue 3, September 2012, Pages 124 - 129

Aerobic exercise training increases cerebral blood flow in postmenopausal women

Authors
Nobuhiko Akazawaa, Youngju Choia, Asako Miyakia, Jun Sugawarac, Ryuichi Ajisakab, Seiji Maedab, *
aGraduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
bFaculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
cHuman Technology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 29 853 2683; fax: +81 29 853 2986. E-mail address: maeda@taiiku.tsukuba.ac.jp (S. Maeda).
Corresponding Author
Seiji Maeda
Received 29 February 2012, Revised 22 April 2012, Accepted 15 May 2012, Available Online 7 June 2012.
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2012.05.003How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Physical activity; Cerebral hemodynamic; Aging
Abstract

Background: Age-related decrease in cerebral blood flow is a risk factor for cognitive decline. Aerobic exercise training improves vascular and cognitive functions. However, the effect of exercise training on age-related reduction in cerebral blood flow is unclear. The present study investigated whether aerobic exercise training can increase cerebral blood flow in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Twenty healthy postmenopausal women were assigned to either the exercise training group (n = 10) or the control group (n = 10). The exercise group completed 8 weeks of moderate aerobic exercise intervention. The control group did not change their physical activity level. Before and after each intervention, middle cerebral blood flow velocity and cerebrovascular resistance were measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

Results: The baseline middle cerebral blood flow velocity, cerebrovascular resistance, and most other key dependent variables did not significantly differ between the groups. Aerobic exercise training significantly increased middle cerebral blood flow velocity and significantly decreased cerebrovascular resistance, whereas no such changes were observed in the control group.

Conclusions: We showed that aerobic exercise training increased middle cerebral blood flow velocity and decreased cerebrovascular resistance in postmenopausal women. The results of the current study suggest that regular aerobic exercise may attenuate aging-induced decrease in cerebral blood flow.

Copyright
© 2012 Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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Journal
Artery Research
Volume-Issue
6 - 3
Pages
124 - 129
Publication Date
2012/06/07
ISSN (Online)
1876-4401
ISSN (Print)
1872-9312
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2012.05.003How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2012 Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

Cite this article

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Nobuhiko Akazawa
AU  - Youngju Choi
AU  - Asako Miyaki
AU  - Jun Sugawara
AU  - Ryuichi Ajisaka
AU  - Seiji Maeda
PY  - 2012
DA  - 2012/06/07
TI  - Aerobic exercise training increases cerebral blood flow in postmenopausal women
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 124
EP  - 129
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2012.05.003
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2012.05.003
ID  - Akazawa2012
ER  -