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The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive and Neural Decline in Aging and Cardiovascular Disease

  • Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly (DE Forman, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Aging is characterized by a decline in cognitive functions, particularly in the domains of executive function, processing speed and episodic memory. These age-related declines are exacerbated by cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, obesity, elevated total cholesterol). Structural and functional alterations in brain regions, including the fronto-parietal and medial temporal lobes, have been linked to age- and CVD-related cognitive decline. Multiple recent studies indicate that aerobic exercise programs may slow the progression of age-related neural changes and reduce the risk for mild cognitive impairment as well as dementia. We review age- and CVD-related decline in cognition and the underlying changes in brain morphology and function, and then clarify the impact of aerobic exercise on moderating these patterns.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research & Development Service [Career Development Award e7822w awarded to SMH].

Compliance with Ethics Guidelines

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Conflict of Interest

Scott M. Hayes, Michael L. Alosco, and Daniel E. Forman declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Memory Disorders Research Center (151A), VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, 150 South Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA

    Scott M. Hayes & Michael L. Alosco

  2. Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA

    Scott M. Hayes

  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Michael L. Alosco

  4. Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Daniel E. Forman

  5. Geriatric Cardiology Section, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Daniel E. Forman

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  1. Scott M. Hayes
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  3. Daniel E. Forman
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Correspondence to Scott M. Hayes.

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Hayes, S.M., Alosco, M.L. & Forman, D.E. The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive and Neural Decline in Aging and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Geri Rep 3, 282–290 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-014-0101-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-014-0101-x

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