Publications

Authors:

Pedrinolla, Anna; Venturelli, Massimo; Fonte, Cristina; Tamburin, Stefano; Di Baldassarre, Angela; Naro, Fabio; Varalta, Valentina; Giuriato, Gaia; Ghinassi, Barbara; Muti, Ettore; Smania, Nicola; Schena, Federico

Title:

Exercise training improves vascular function in patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Year:

2020

Type of item:

Articolo in Rivista

Tipologia ANVUR:

Articolo su rivista

Language:

Inglese

Format:

Elettronico

Referee:

Sì

Name of journal:

European Journal of Applied Physiology

ISSN of journal:

1439-6319

N° Volume:

120

Number or Folder:

10

Page numbers:

2233-2245

Keyword:

dementia; physical activity; flow-mediated dilation; passive-leg movement; vascular endothelial growth factor

Short description of contents:

Purpose: Vascular dysfunction has been demonstrated in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Exercise is known to positively affect vascular function. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate exercise-induced effects on vascular function in AD. Methods: Thirty-nine patients with AD (79 ± 8 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to exercise training (EX, n = 20) or control group (CTRL, n = 19). All subjects performed 72 treatment sessions (90 min, 3 t/w). EX included moderate-high-intensity aerobic and strength training. CTRL included cognitive stimuli (visual, verbal, auditive). Before and after the 6-month treatment, the vascular function was measured by passive-leg movement test (PLM, calculating the variation in blood flow: ∆peak; and area under the curve: AUC) tests, and flow-mediated dilation (FMD, %). A blood sample was analyzed for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Arterial blood flow (BF) and shear rate (SR) were measured during EX and CTRL during a typical treatment session. Results: EX group has increased FMD% (+ 3.725%, p < 0.001), PLM ∆peak (+ 99.056 ml/min, p = 0.004), AUC (+ 37.359AU, p = 0.037) and VEGF (+ 8.825 pg/ml, p = 0.004). In the CTRL group, no difference between pre- and post-treatment was found for any variable. Increase in BF and SR was demonstrated during EX (BF + 123%, p < 0.05; SR + 134%, p < 0.05), but not during CTRL treatment. Conclusion: Exercise training improves peripheral vascular function in AD. These ameliorations may be due to the repetitive increase in SR during exercise which triggers NO and VEGF upregulation. This approach might be included in standard AD clinical practice as an effective strategy to treat vascular dysfunction in this population.

Web page:

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04447-w

Product ID:

115614

Handle IRIS:

11562/1022279

Last Modified:

November 11, 2022

Bibliographic citation:

Pedrinolla, Anna; Venturelli, Massimo; Fonte, Cristina; Tamburin, Stefano; Di Baldassarre, Angela; Naro, Fabio; Varalta, Valentina; Giuriato, Gaia; Ghinassi, Barbara; Muti, Ettore; Smania, Nicola; Schena, Federico, Exercise training improves vascular function in patients with Alzheimer’s disease «European Journal of Applied Physiology» , vol. 120 , n. 10 , 2020 , pp. 2233-2245

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