Background Myelin loss is a feature of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). Although physical activity levels may exert protective effects over cSVD pathology, its specific relationship with myelin content in people living with the cSVD is unknown. Thus, we investigated whether physical activity levels are associated with myelin in community-dwelling older adults with cSVD and mild cognitive impairment. Methods Cross-sectional data from 102 individuals with cSVD and mild cognitive impairment were analyzed (mean age [SD] = 74.7y [5.5], 63.7% female). Myelin was measured using a magnetic resonance gradient and spin echo sequence. Physical activity was estimated using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Hierarchical regression models adjusting for total intracranial volume, age, sex, body mass index, and education were conducted to determine the associations between myelin content and physical activity. Significant models were further adjusted for white matter hyperintensity volume. Results In adjusted models, greater physical activity was linked to higher myelin content in the whole-brain white matter (R 2change = 0.04, p = 0.048). Greater physical activity was also associated with myelin content in the sagittal stratum (R 2change = 0.08, p = 0.004), anterior corona radiata (R 2change = 0.04, p = 0.049), and genu of the corpus callosum (R 2change = 0.05, p = 0.018). Adjusting for white matter hyperintensity volume did not change any of these associations. Conclusions Physical activity may be a strategy to maintain myelin in older adults with cSVD and mild cognitive impairment. Future randomized controlled trials of exercise are needed to determine if exercise increases myelin content.

中文翻译：

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患有脑小血管病和轻度认知障碍的老年人的髓磷脂和身体活动

背景 髓磷脂丢失是脑小血管病 (cSVD) 的一个特征。尽管体力活动水平可能对 cSVD 病理学产生保护作用，但其与 cSVD 患者髓磷脂含量的具体关系尚不清楚。因此，我们调查了体力活动水平是否与患有 cSVD 和轻度认知障碍的社区老年人的髓磷脂相关。方法 分析了 102 名 cSVD 和轻度认知障碍患者的横断面数据（平均年龄 [SD] = 74.7y [5.5]，63.7% 为女性）。使用磁共振梯度和自旋回波序列测量髓磷脂。使用老年人体力活动量表估算体力活动。针对颅内总体积、年龄、性别、体重指数进行调整的分层回归模型，并进行了教育以确定髓磷脂含量与身体活动之间的关联。针对白质高信号体积进一步调整重要模型。结果 在调整后的模型中，更多的体力活动与全脑白质中更高的髓磷脂含量相关（R 2change = 0.04，p = 0.048）。更强的体力活动也与矢状层（R 2change = 0.08，p = 0.004）、前放射冠（R 2change = 0.04，p = 0.049）和胼胝体膝部（R 2change = 0.05，p = 0.004）中的髓磷脂含量相关。 p = 0.018）。调整白质高强度体积并没有改变任何这些关联。结论 身体活动可能是一种维持患有 cSVD 和轻度认知障碍的老年人髓鞘形成的策略。