TY - JOUR
T1 - Aerobic fitness and cognitive function in midlife
T2 - An association mediated by plasma insulin
AU - Tarumi, Takashi
AU - Gonzales, Mitzi M.
AU - Fallow, Bennett
AU - Nualnim, Nantinee
AU - Lee, Jeongseok
AU - Tanaka, Hirofumi
AU - Haley, Andreana P.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We thank Dr. Martha Pyron, Mohammed Alkatan, Mandeep Dhindsa, and Tariq Thannoun for technical assistance. This study was supported in part by grants from the American Federation for Aging Research (8A0024, A.P.H.), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS75565, A.P.H.), and the National Institute on Aging (F31AG040890, M.M.G.).
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - Insulin resistance in midlife increases the risk of dementia in late-life. In contrast, habitual aerobic exercise is an established strategy to ameliorate insulin resistance which may translate into better cognitive outcome. To determine the role of plasma insulin in mediating the relation between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function, fifty-eight adults completed assessments of plasma insulin levels, maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2max), and neuropsychological test performance. Endurance-trained subjects demonstrated better cognitive outcome (total composite z-score: 0.21 ± 0.08 versus -0.26 ± 0.10, P = 0.001) and lower concentrations of plasma insulin (12.6 ± 0.6 versus 21.3 ± 1.5 ulU/mL, P < 0.001) than sedentary subjects. Greater VO2max was significantly associated with higher memory performance (β = 0.37, P = 0.01) and lower plasma insulin levels (β = -0.68, P < 0.001). The significant association between VO2max and memory performance was abolished when the indirect effect of plasma insulin was statistically removed (β = 0.24, P = 0.19). Fitness-related cognitive enhancement may be mediated, at least in part, by plasma insulin levels.
AB - Insulin resistance in midlife increases the risk of dementia in late-life. In contrast, habitual aerobic exercise is an established strategy to ameliorate insulin resistance which may translate into better cognitive outcome. To determine the role of plasma insulin in mediating the relation between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function, fifty-eight adults completed assessments of plasma insulin levels, maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2max), and neuropsychological test performance. Endurance-trained subjects demonstrated better cognitive outcome (total composite z-score: 0.21 ± 0.08 versus -0.26 ± 0.10, P = 0.001) and lower concentrations of plasma insulin (12.6 ± 0.6 versus 21.3 ± 1.5 ulU/mL, P < 0.001) than sedentary subjects. Greater VO2max was significantly associated with higher memory performance (β = 0.37, P = 0.01) and lower plasma insulin levels (β = -0.68, P < 0.001). The significant association between VO2max and memory performance was abolished when the indirect effect of plasma insulin was statistically removed (β = 0.24, P = 0.19). Fitness-related cognitive enhancement may be mediated, at least in part, by plasma insulin levels.
KW - Glycemic control
KW - Memory
KW - Middle-age
KW - Physical activity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84887226594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84887226594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11011-013-9431-1
DO - 10.1007/s11011-013-9431-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 24000071
AN - SCOPUS:84887226594
SN - 0885-7490
VL - 28
SP - 727
EP - 730
JO - Metabolic Brain Disease
JF - Metabolic Brain Disease
IS - 4
ER -