Physical activity mitigates adverse effect of metabolic syndrome on vessels and brain

• Published in: Brain imaging and behavior 2018-12, Vol.12 (6), p.1658-1668
• Main Authors: Pasha, Evan P., Birdsill, Alex C., Oleson, Stephanie, Haley, Andreana P., Tanaka, Hirofumi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood vessels; Brain; Brain - blood supply; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - physiopathology; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Carotid artery; Cognition; Corpus callosum; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Echoencephalography; Elasticity; Exercise; Female; Humans; Integrity; Magnetic resonance imaging; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - diagnostic imaging; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome - physiopathology; Metabolic Syndrome - rehabilitation; Middle age; Middle Aged; Neuroimaging; Neuropsychology; Neuroradiology; Neurosciences; Original Research; Physical activity; Psychiatry; Risk analysis; Risk Factors; Sedentary Behavior; Side effects; Stiffening; Stiffness; Substantia alba; Ultrasound; Vascular Stiffness; White Matter - blood supply; White Matter - diagnostic imaging
• ISSN: 1931-7557; 1931-7565
• DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9830-3

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) adversely affects the vasculature and cerebral white matter (CWM) integrity. Arterial stiffening has been associated with diminished CWM integrity. Physical activity (PA) can ameliorate components of MetS and subsequently affect arterial stiffening and CWM integrity. Our aim was to determine the role of PA on mitigating the adverse influence of MetS on arterial stiffness and CWM integrity. In a cross-sectional study design, sixty-six middle-aged adults (40–62 years) composed of 18 sedentary MetS (Sed MetS), 21 physically active MetS (Active MetS), and 27 healthy individuals absent of MetS risk factors were studied. Carotid artery stiffness was assessed via simultaneous ultrasound and tonometry. CWM integrity was measured using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) through metrics of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Carotid β-stiffness index in Active MetS was lower than Sed MetS but was not different from Healthy controls (6.6 ± 1.5, 7.7 ± 2.1, and 5.6 ± 1.6 au, p = 0.001). CWM integrity was significantly greater in Active MetS subjects compared to Sed MetS subjects but statistically equal to Healthy controls in the anterior limb of the internal capsule, and splenium of the corpus callosum, uncinate fasciculus, and superior corona radiata (all p