The impact of exercise on blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired older adults

Kelsey R Sewell; Stephanie R Rainey-Smith; Steve Pedrini; Jeremiah J Peiffer; Hamid R Sohrabi; Kevin Taddei; Shaun J Markovic; Ralph N Martins; Belinda M Brown

doi:10.1007/s11357-024-01130-2

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The impact of exercise on blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired older adults

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The impact of exercise on blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired older adults

Kelsey R Sewell, Stephanie R Rainey-Smith, Steve Pedrini, Jeremiah J Peiffer, Hamid R Sohrabi, Kevin Taddei, Shaun J Markovic, Ralph N Martins and Belinda M Brown

GeroScience, Vol.46(6), pp.5911-5923

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-024-01130-2

PMID: 38488949

Appears in Open Access via Read & Publish Agreements

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Abstract

Exercise

Alzheimer’s disease

Cognition

Blood biomarkers

Physical activity is a promising preventative strategy for Alzheimer’s disease: it is associated with lower dementia risk, better cognition, greater brain volume and lower brain beta-amyloid. Blood-based biomarkers have emerged as a low-cost, non-invasive strategy for detecting preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, however, there is limited literature examining the effect of exercise (a structured form of physical activity) on blood-based biomarkers. The current study investigated the influence of a 6-month exercise intervention on levels of plasma beta-amyloid (Aβ42, Aβ40, Aβ42/40), phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light (NfL) chain in cognitively unimpaired older adults, and as a secondary aim, whether blood-based biomarkers related to cognition. Ninety-nine community-dwelling older adults (69.1 ± 5.2) were allocated to an inactive control, or to moderate or high intensity exercise groups where they cycled twice weekly for six months. At baseline and six months (post-intervention), fasted blood was collected and analysed using single molecule array (SIMOA) assays, and cognition was assessed. Results demonstrated no change in levels of any plasma biomarker from pre- to post-intervention. At baseline, higher NfL was associated with poorer cognition (β = -0.33, SE = 0.13, adjusted p = .042). Exploratory analyses indicated higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with higher NfL and GFAP levels in apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 non-carriers compared to ε4 carriers (NfL, β = -0.43, SE = 0.19, p = .029; GFAP, β = -0.41, SE = 0.20, p = .044), though this association was mediated by body mass index (BMI). These results highlight the importance of considering BMI in analysis of blood-based biomarkers, especially when investigating differences between APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers. Our results also indicate that longer follow-up periods may be required to observe exercise-induced change in blood-based biomarkers.

Details

Title: The impact of exercise on blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired older adults
Authors/Creators: Kelsey R Sewell - Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia. Kelsey.sewell@murdoch.edu.au
Stephanie R Rainey-Smith - School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
Steve Pedrini - Alzheimer's Research Australia, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
Jeremiah J Peiffer - Murdoch University
Hamid R Sohrabi - Macquarie University
Kevin Taddei - Alzheimer's Research Australia, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
Shaun J Markovic - Alzheimer's Research Australia, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
Ralph N Martins - Macquarie University
Belinda M Brown - Alzheimer's Research Australia, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
Publication Details: GeroScience, Vol.46(6), pp.5911-5923
Publisher: American Aging Association
Grant note: GNT1097105 / National Health and Medical Research Council
Identifiers: 991005648965807891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Psychology; Research and Innovation Office; Centre for Healthy Ageing
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.52 Neurodegenerative Diseases; 1.52.60 Dementia
Web Of Science research areas: Geriatrics & Gerontology
ESI research areas: Clinical Medicine