Association of Exercise Types in Adolescence with Cognitive Function in Older Age: the Bunkyo Health Study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundExercise in adolescence has been shown to increase cognitive reserve and have a long‐term preventive effect on cognitive function in older age (Dik, M. G., et al. 2003). However, it remains unclear whether different types and intensities of adolescent exercise have distinct impacts on cognitive function later in life. Therefore, the present study investigated the association between exercise types and intensity in adolescence and mild cognitive impairments (MCI) in older adults.MethodWe analyzed data from the Bunkyo Health Study, which included 659 men and 912 women aged 65‐84. MCI was defined as the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 22 points or less. We classified the 35 exercises participants engaged in their junior high school and high school reference to the classification guidelines (Maron, B. J., et al. 2015), which were divided into three levels of exercise intensity (low, moderate, high) in each type of exercise (aerobic, resistance, or a combination of both). Multivariate‐adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in each category level for the prevalence of MCI, as compared with the non‐exercise group.ResultIn junior high school analysis, the ORs(95%CIs) for MCI were significantly lower in the moderate‐resistance level group (OR: 0.45 [0.21‐0.95], P‐value = 0.04) and the high‐combination level group (OR: 0.30 [0.11‐0.81], P‐value = 0.02) in men, whereas there were no significant differences in women. Similar results were observed in high school analysis, with lower ORs for MCI in moderate‐resistance level (OR: 0.36 [0.16‐0.77], P‐value = 0.01) and high‐combination level (OR: 0.34 [0.14‐0.80], P‐value = 0.01) groups, but not for women.ConclusionParticipation in the moderate‐resistance level and/or the high‐combination level exercises in junior high school or high school was associated with a lower prevalence of MCI in older age among men, but not women.