The Impact of 6-Month Land versus Water Walking on Cerebrovascular Function in the Aging Brain

Daniel J Green; Kurt Smith; Barbara A Maslen; Kay L Cox; Nicola T Lautenschlager; Carmela F Pestell; Louise H Naylor; Philip N Ainslie; Howard H Carter

Journal article

The Impact of 6-Month Land versus Water Walking on Cerebrovascular Function in the Aging Brain

Daniel J Green, Kurt Smith, Barbara A Maslen, Kay L Cox, Nicola T Lautenschlager, Carmela F Pestell, Louise H Naylor, Philip N Ainslie, Howard H Carter

MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE | LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS | Published : 2021

DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002685

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To examine the hypothesis that exercise training induces adaptation in cerebrovascular function, we recruited 63 older adults (62 ± 7 yr, 46 females) to undertake 24 wk of either land walking or water walking, or participate in a nonexercise control group. This is the first multi-interventional study to perform a comprehensive assessment of cerebrovascular function in response to longer term (6-month) training interventions, including water-based exercise, in older healthy individuals. METHODS: Intracranial blood flow velocities (middle cerebral artery (MCAv) and posterior cerebral artery) were assessed at rest and in response to neurovascular coupling, hypercapnic reactivity, ..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Nicola Lautenschlager Author Melbourne Medical School

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia

Awarded by NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (1045204). The NHMRC did not have any involvement in the study design, data collection or analysis, or the results or writing of the report. D. J. G. was supported by an NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship (APP1080914). The authors would like to thank their research participants, exercise supervision staff, and the research staff who contributed to the study. The authors declare no conflict of interest. The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation, and the results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine. Trial registration: This study was a registered clinical trial (ACTRN12614000017628).