Structural Brain Correlates of Physical Activity in Offspring of Parents with and without Exceptional Longevity

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies suggest that frequent participation in physical activities (PA) promotes healthy aging by decreasing late‐life morbidity. Several studies further suggest that the volume of the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus increases in response to PA. Brain volume is also preserved among offspring of those with exceptional longevity. This research examined associations between self‐reported PA and gray matter volume in older adults without dementia, and as function of parental longevity.MethodsSelf‐reported PA (activity level (low/high); activity rating (low/high); city blocks walked (<10/≥10); weekly aerobic exercise (<4/≥4); flights of stairs (≤5/>5); longest continuous walk (<4/≥4) and structural MRI data from 107 Ashkenazi Jewish older adults (79.08±6.52 years; 57.94% women) was examined. 59.81% of participants were offspring of parents with exceptional longevity (at least one parent lived 95 years or more) and 40.19% were offspring of parents with usual survival (both parents lived less than 95 years). Voxel‐based morphometry and multivariate covariance‐based analyses – adjusted for age, sex, years of education, and total intracranial volume – were used to identify gray matter patterns associated with PA. Linear regression was used to determine if these patterns varied as a function of parental longevity.ResultsSignificant gray matter covariance patterns associated with PA ratings (p = 0.001) and flight of stairs (p = 0.004) were derived. The gray matter pattern associated with flight of stairs were primarily composed of middle cingulate, thalamus, superior frontal gyrus and insula. The gray matter pattern associated with PA level were primarily composed of caudate nucleus, insula, and hippocampus. None of the derived gray matter patterns varied as a function of parental longevity. No significant patterns were observed for city blocks walked, weekly exercise, or longest continuous walk.ConclusionOur results suggest that self‐reported PA – when assessed with activity rating and flight of stairs climbed – are associated with gray matter volume pattern composed of hippocampal, cingulate, insular, and prefrontal regions. Our results further demonstrated that these gray matter patterns do not vary as a function of parental longevity. Participating in PA may benefit the aging brain to a similar extent in offspring of parents with and without exceptional longevity.