TY - JOUR
T1 - The association between aerobic fitness and executive function is mediated by prefrontal cortex volume
AU - Weinstein, Andrea M.
AU - Voss, Michelle W.
AU - Prakash, Ruchika Shaurya
AU - Chaddock, Laura
AU - Szabo, Amanda
AU - White, Siobhan M.
AU - Wojcicki, Thomas R.
AU - Mailey, Emily
AU - McAuley, Edward
AU - Kramer, Arthur F.
AU - Erickson, Kirk I.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health ( RO1 AG25667 and RO1 AG25032 ). KIE was supported by a Junior Scholar Award from the Pittsburgh Claude D Pepper Older Americans Independence Center ( P30 AG024827 ) and the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center ( P50 AG005133 ). AMW was supported by Award Number T32GM081760 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences .
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Aging is marked by a decline in cognitive function, which is often preceded by losses in gray matter volume. Fortunately, higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels are associated with an attenuation of age-related losses in gray matter volume and a reduced risk for cognitive impairment. Despite these links, we have only a rudimentary understanding of whether fitness-related increases in gray matter volume lead to elevated cognitive function. In this cross-sectional study, we examined whether the association between higher aerobic fitness levels and elevated executive function was mediated by greater gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). One hundred and forty-two older adults (mean age. =. 66.6. years) completed structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, CRF assessments, and performed Stroop and spatial working memory (SPWM) tasks. Gray matter volume was assessed using an optimized voxel-based morphometry approach. Consistent with our predictions, higher fitness levels were associated with: (a) better performance on both the Stroop and SPWM tasks, and (b) greater gray matter volume in several regions, including the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). Volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus and precentral gyrus mediated the relationship between CRF and Stroop interference while a non-overlapping set of regions bilaterally in the DLPFC mediated the association between CRF and SPWM accuracy. These results suggest that specific regions of the DLPFC differentially relate to inhibition and spatial working memory. Thus, fitness may influence cognitive function by reducing brain atrophy in targeted areas in healthy older adults.
AB - Aging is marked by a decline in cognitive function, which is often preceded by losses in gray matter volume. Fortunately, higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels are associated with an attenuation of age-related losses in gray matter volume and a reduced risk for cognitive impairment. Despite these links, we have only a rudimentary understanding of whether fitness-related increases in gray matter volume lead to elevated cognitive function. In this cross-sectional study, we examined whether the association between higher aerobic fitness levels and elevated executive function was mediated by greater gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). One hundred and forty-two older adults (mean age. =. 66.6. years) completed structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, CRF assessments, and performed Stroop and spatial working memory (SPWM) tasks. Gray matter volume was assessed using an optimized voxel-based morphometry approach. Consistent with our predictions, higher fitness levels were associated with: (a) better performance on both the Stroop and SPWM tasks, and (b) greater gray matter volume in several regions, including the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). Volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus and precentral gyrus mediated the relationship between CRF and Stroop interference while a non-overlapping set of regions bilaterally in the DLPFC mediated the association between CRF and SPWM accuracy. These results suggest that specific regions of the DLPFC differentially relate to inhibition and spatial working memory. Thus, fitness may influence cognitive function by reducing brain atrophy in targeted areas in healthy older adults.
KW - Cardiorespiratory fitness
KW - Cortical volume
KW - Executive function
KW - Mediation
KW - Prefrontal cortex
KW - Voxel-based morphometry
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U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.11.008
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.11.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 22172477
AN - SCOPUS:84861992435
SN - 0889-1591
VL - 26
SP - 811
EP - 819
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
IS - 5
ER -