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Abstract #0996

Imaging for White Matter Alterations After an Exercise Intervention: A DTI Study in MCI and Normal Controls

Wang Zhan1, Kristy A. Nielson2, 3, Piero Antuono3, Jeri-Anne Lyons4, J. Carson Smith, 35

1Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States; 2Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 3Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 4Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 5Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States

Physical exercise has been shown to improve cognitive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, however, it is unknown if exercise training alters the cerebral white matter (WM) structure associated with the functional activations during memory retrieval. A longitudinal DTI study was performed to compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) alterations introduced by walk exercise interventions in 12 weeks for both MCI patients (N=15) and matched normal controls (N=17). Unexpectedly, our data indicate that both groups exhibited FA reductions in WM after the exercise intervention, and that the MCI patients show greater extent and greater spread of FA reductions compared to the controls.

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Keywords

activations aging alterations alters although anatomical benefits biomedical blood bold brain brains cerebral cluster cognition cognitive college completed consisting contrast contribution control controls days degradation despite diffusion discrimination disease education enhancements excite excluded exercise explain fact famous female fitness flow fractional function functional gains gender general goal graded greater healthy histological human hypothesis identify impairment improvement included index indicated induced integrity intensity intervention interventions introduced known larger linear little longitudinal magnitude major matched mechanism medical memory mild model moderate moreover much must name neurology normalize normalized occurred original overwhelmingly park participants patients pattern patterns peak period post potential primary processed program psychology quite rather reductions reflect regional regressed related relatively remains resolution retrieval reveal revise sciences session several short significance signs smith space spatial spatially statistics stress stronger structure studies subject subjects suggest suggested supervised system systematic task terms tissue toolbox track training unclear uncorrected underwent volume walking week white years