The role of physical exercise in modulating peripheral inflammatory and neurotrophic biomarkers in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Josh Titus; Nick W Bray; Nellie Kamkar; Richard Camicioli; Lindsay S Nagamatsu; Mark Speechley; Manuel Montero-Odasso

doi:10.1016/j.mad.2021.111431

The role of physical exercise in modulating peripheral inflammatory and neurotrophic biomarkers in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Mech Ageing Dev. 2021 Mar:194:111431. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111431. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Authors

Josh Titus¹, Nick W Bray², Nellie Kamkar³, Richard Camicioli⁴, Lindsay S Nagamatsu⁵, Mark Speechley⁶, Manuel Montero-Odasso⁷

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Medicine and Division of Geriatric Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 33422561
DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111431

Abstract

Background: Physiological cascades of neurotrophic factors and inflammatory cytokines may mediate the exercise-induced amelioration of cognition in older adults. However, there is limited understanding on how different exercise modalities improving cognition alter biomarkers. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of different exercise modalities on blood biomarker concentrations in cognitive clinical trials of older adults.

Methods: A systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MA) were performed using the databases PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS. After exclusions, 17 trials with 18 distinct exercise interventions were included.

Results: Aerobic training increased (n = 2) or did not significantly change BDNF (n = 5), and resistance training increased (n = 2) or did not significantly change (n = 2) IGF-1. Multimodal training significantly increased (n = 1) or did not change (n = 3) BDNF. Interventions that recruited sex-specific cohorts showed an advantage in males for blood marker concentrations and cognitive performance outcomes (n = 3) compared to females (n = 3). Only one of three interventions decreased concentrations of CRP. Eight studies examining BDNF changes were suited for MA and showed that higher BDNF concentrations were reached post intervention, although not reaching statistical significance (p = .26, I² = 44 %).

Discussion: Our results suggest that exercise has potential to ameliorate cognitive decline in older adults with divergent, modality-specific, neurotrophic mechanisms.

Keywords: Cognition; Exercise; Inflammatory markers; Neurotrophic factors; Older adults.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Age Factors
Aged
Aging / immunology
Aging / metabolism*
Aging / pathology
Biomarkers / blood
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / blood*
Clinical Trials as Topic
Cognition
Exercise Therapy
Exercise*
Female
Healthy Aging*
Humans
Inflammation Mediators / blood*
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism*
Male
Middle Aged
Neurons / metabolism*
Neurons / pathology

Substances

Biomarkers
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
IGF1 protein, human
Inflammation Mediators
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
BDNF protein, human

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding