TY - JOUR
T1 - Aerobic exercise training effects on hippocampal volume in healthy older individuals
T2 - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
AU - Balbim, Guilherme Moraes
AU - Boa Sorte Silva, Nárlon Cássio
AU - ten Brinke, Lisanne
AU - Falck, Ryan S.
AU - Hortobágyi, Tibor
AU - Granacher, Urs
AU - Erickson, Kirk I.
AU - Hernández-Gamboa, Rebeca
AU - Liu-Ambrose, Teresa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Aging Association.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of aerobic exercise training (AET) lasting ≥ 4 weeks on hippocampal volume and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in cognitively unimpaired, healthy older individuals. Random-effects robust variance estimation models were used to test differences between AET and controls, while meta-regressions tested associations between CRF and hippocampal volume changes. We included eight studies (N = 554) delivering fully supervised AET for 3 to 12 months (M = 7.8, SD = 4.5) with an average AET volume of 129.85 min/week (SD = 45.5) at moderate-to-vigorous intensity. There were no significant effects of AET on hippocampal volume (SMD = 0.10, 95% CI − 0.01 to 0.21, p = 0.073), but AET moderately improved CRF (SMD = 0.30, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.48, p = 0.005). Improvement in CRF was not associated with changes in hippocampal volume (bSE = 0.05, SE = 0.51, p = 0.923). From the limited number of studies, AET does not seem to impact hippocampal volume in cognitively unimpaired, healthy older individuals. Notable methodological limitations across investigations might mask the lack of effects.
AB - We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of aerobic exercise training (AET) lasting ≥ 4 weeks on hippocampal volume and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in cognitively unimpaired, healthy older individuals. Random-effects robust variance estimation models were used to test differences between AET and controls, while meta-regressions tested associations between CRF and hippocampal volume changes. We included eight studies (N = 554) delivering fully supervised AET for 3 to 12 months (M = 7.8, SD = 4.5) with an average AET volume of 129.85 min/week (SD = 45.5) at moderate-to-vigorous intensity. There were no significant effects of AET on hippocampal volume (SMD = 0.10, 95% CI − 0.01 to 0.21, p = 0.073), but AET moderately improved CRF (SMD = 0.30, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.48, p = 0.005). Improvement in CRF was not associated with changes in hippocampal volume (bSE = 0.05, SE = 0.51, p = 0.923). From the limited number of studies, AET does not seem to impact hippocampal volume in cognitively unimpaired, healthy older individuals. Notable methodological limitations across investigations might mask the lack of effects.
KW - Aerobic exercise
KW - Hippocampus
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Older individuals
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176945493&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11357-023-00971-7
DO - 10.1007/s11357-023-00971-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 37943486
AN - SCOPUS:85176945493
SN - 2509-2715
VL - 46
SP - 2755
EP - 2764
JO - GeroScience
JF - GeroScience
IS - 2
ER -