Introduction

Efforts to preserve brain function may be most effective when administered before there are changes in the brain, which may occur decades before the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms. White matter hyperintensities (WMH), a cardiovascular disease biomarker, are areas of hyperintense signals scattered in the white matter of the brain evident on magnetic resonance images. WMH increase with age and are associated with a higher risk of dementia. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between different domains and intensities of physical activity earlier in life and lower risk of dementia later in life as indicated by less WMH.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the Lifetime Total Physical Activity Questionnaire. The metabolic equivalent of task (MET) hours/week/year of moderate (3.0–5.9 METs) and vigorous-intensity (≥6 METs) occupation, transportation, household and leisure-time physical activity was obtained across school-age (6–11), adolescence (12–18), young (19–39) and middle adulthood (40–64). WMH were calculated as the percent of intracranial volume in cognitively unimpaired middle (age 40–64) and older adults (age 65+). Simultaneous multiple linear regression determined associations between moderate and vigorous-intensity occupation, transportation, household and leisure-time physical activity across school-age, adolescence, young and middle adulthood with WMH.

Results

Greater moderate-intensity transportation physical activity during young (b = −0.09, p = .008) and middle adulthood (b = −0.14, p = .013) was associated with lower WMH in middle and older adulthood, explaining 28% (p = .003) to 29% (p=.002) of the variance in WMH (n = 54).

Conclusions

Changes to the physical environment that encourage walking, running or biking, such as sidewalks and bike paths, may be strategies to mitigate the age-related increases in WMH, areas of the brain associated with higher risk of dementia.

中文翻译：

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生命早期的交通身体活动以及生命后期与痴呆相关的大脑区域

 介绍

在大脑发生变化之前进行治疗可能最有效，这种变化可能发生在阿尔茨海默病症状出现前几十年。白质高信号 (WMH) 是一种心血管疾病生物标志物，是磁共振图像上明显的分散在大脑白质中的高信号区域。 WMH 随着年龄的增长而增加，并且与痴呆症的风险增加相关。本研究的目的是确定生命早期身体活动的不同领域和强度与晚年痴呆风险较低之间是否存在关联（如 WMH 较低）。

 方法

在这项横断面研究中，我们对终生总体体育活动问卷进行了面对面访谈。中等强度（3.0-5.9 MET）和高强度（≥6 MET）职业、交通、家庭和休闲身体活动的任务代谢当量（MET）小时/周/年是在整个学龄期（6- 11）、青春期（12-18）、青年期（19-39）和中年期（40-64）。 WMH 计算为认知未受损的中年人（40-64 岁）和老年人（65 岁以上）的颅内容积百分比。同时多元线性回归确定了学龄期、青春期、青年期和成年中期的中等强度和高强度职业、交通、家庭和休闲体育活动与 WMH 之间的关联。

 结果

青年时期 ( b = -0.09, p = .008) 和中年时期 ( b = -0.14, p = .013) 较大的中等强度交通体力活动与中老年时期 WMH 较低相关，解释了 28% ( p = .003) 至 WMH 方差的 29% ( p= .002) (n = 54)。

 结论

改变鼓励步行、跑步或骑自行车的物理环境，例如人行道和自行车道，可能是缓解与年龄相关的 WMH 增加的策略，WMH 是与痴呆风险较高相关的大脑区域。