Non-exercise Group Research Articles

Exercise effects on maternal vascular health and blood pressure during pregnancy and postpartum: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of exercise training during pregnancy and the postpartum period on maternal vascular health and blood pressure (BP). The outcome of interest was pulse wave velocity (PWV), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and BP from pregnancy to 1-year postpartum. Five databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, were systematically searched from inception to August 2023. Studies of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of prenatal or postpartum exercise to a non-exercise control group were included. The risk of bias and the certainty of evidence were assessed. Random-effects meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted. In total, 20 RCTs involving 1221 women were included. Exercise training, initiated from Week 8 during gestation or between 6 and 14 weeks after delivery, with the programme lasting for a minimum of 4 weeks up to 6 months, showed no significant impact on PWV and FMD. However, it resulted in a significant reduction in systolic BP (SBP) [mean difference (MD): -4.37 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI): -7.48 to -1.26; P = 0.006] and diastolic BP (DBP) (MD: -2.94 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.17 to -0.71; P = 0.01) with very low certainty. Subgroup analyses revealed consistent trends across different gestational stages, types of exercise, weekly exercise times, and training periods. Exercise training during pregnancy and the postpartum period demonstrates a favourable effect on reducing maternal BP. However, further investigations with rigorous methodologies and larger sample sizes are needed to strengthen these conclusions.

UPRIGHT BIPEDAL EXERCISE TRAINING IMPROVES INTERVERTEBRAL DISC HEALTH: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION & AIMS The structure and function of human tissue, such as bone, muscle and tendon, can be improved with targeted exercise training. However, the effects of exercise training on intervertebral disc tissue has received comparably less attention. With a scope to identify types of exercise training that improve intervertebral disc health, this study examined the impact of historical exercise, sport and/or physical activity on quantitative intervertebral disc outcomes. METHODS The protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022366391). Five databases (inception to 30th September 2022), 17 trial registries and reference lists and forwards/backwards citations were searched. Inclusion criteria followed the Participants (human), Exposure (exercise, sport or physical activity for greater than one week), Comparators (non-exercise, sport or physical activity control group), Outcomes (magnetic resonance imaging measures of lumbar intervertebral disc health on a continuous scale [e.g. T2, signal intensity, intervertebral disc height]) and Study design (any) framework. Pairwise random-effects restricted maximum likelihood meta-analysis estimated standardised mean difference (Hedges g). RESULTS From the search yield of 2,150 records, 12 reports representing 10 studies (participants: 874) were deemed eligible. When compared to any comparator, upright bipedal exposures (g [95%CI]: 0.31 [0.06, 0.55]; P=0.014; studies: 6; participants: 346; I2: 87%), were associated with greater intervertebral disc health. However, no physical loading exposure (g [95%CI]: 0.29 [-0.23, 0.82]; P=0.275; studies: 10; participants: 874), non-upright/non-contact exposures (g [95%CI]: 0.70 [1.25, 2.64]; P=0.336; studies: 5; participants: 260), extreme trunk range of motion exposures (g [95%CI]: -0.28 [-1.60, 1.04]; P=0.456; studies: 3; participants: 230) and aerobic-based exposures (g [95%CI]: 0.48 [0.08, 1.04]; P=0.094) were associated. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of primary and secondary effect estimates. CONCLUSION Greater intervertebral disc health associated with a prior history of upright bipedal physical loading indicates prospective interventions examining upright bipedal exercise effects on intervertebral disc health are warranted.

Voluntary wheel running reduces tumor growth and increases capillarity in the heart during doxorubicin chemotherapy in a murine model of breast cancer.

Introduction: The possible beneficial effects of physical activity during doxorubicin treatment of breast cancer need further investigation as many of the existing studies have been done on non-tumor-bearing models. Therefore, in this study, we aim to assess whether short-term voluntary wheel-running exercise during doxorubicin treatment of breast cancer-bearing mice could induce beneficial cardiac effects and enhance chemotherapy efficacy. Methods: Murine breast cancer I3TC cells were inoculated subcutaneously to the flank of female FVB mice (n = 16) that were divided into exercised and non-exercised groups. Two weeks later, doxorubicin treatment was started via intraperitoneal administration (5mg/kg weekly for 3weeks). Organs were harvested a day after the last dose. Results: The tumor volume over time was significantly different between the groups, with the exercising group having lower tumor volumes. The exercised group had increased body weight gain, tumor apoptosis, capillaries per cardiomyocytes, and cardiac lactate dehydrogenase activity compared to the unexercised group, but tumor blood vessel density and maturation and tumor and cardiac HIF1-α and VEGF-A levels did not differ from those of the non-exercised group. Discussion: We conclude that even short-term light exercise such as voluntary wheel running exercise can decrease the subcutaneous mammary tumor growth, possibly via increased tumor apoptosis. The increase in cardiac capillaries per cardiomyocytes may also have positive effects on cancer treatment outcomes.

Investigating the impact of 1 hour of daily outdoor access on the gait and hoof health of nonclinically lame cows housed in a movement-restricted environment

Tiestalls, known for restrictive housing, can reduce cows' locomotor skills over time. While outdoor access benefits clinically lame cows, its effect on nonclinically lame cows is less known. This study evaluated 1 h daily outdoor access on gait and hoof health of nonclinically lame Holstein cows in tiestalls. Thirty cows, blocked by parity and DIM, were assigned to exercise (1 h outdoor access 5 d/wk for 5 wk) or nonexercise groups. Visual scoring assessed 6 gait attributes and overall gait (on scales of 0–5 and 1–5, respectively) at pre-trial, post-trial, and 8-wk follow-up stages. A total of 15 cows (9 exercise, 6 nonexercise) underwent visual gait scoring, with logistical challenges and exclusion criteria leading to this selection. Hoof health for all 30 cows was evaluated during pre-trial and follow-up hoof trims, documenting claw lesions. Hoof thermography captured dorsal coronary band views in wk 1 and 5. No significant gait score changes were observed, but exercise cows showed a 1-point improvement in overall gait score and 3 gait attributes after 5 wk of outdoor access, which persisted at follow-up. Sole hemorrhages were the only claw lesions observed, and their prevalence and severity remained consistent between pre-trial and follow-up for both groups. Thermography showed consistent coronary band temperature metrics across groups and over time. In conclusion, brief outdoor sessions resulted in noticeable, albeit not statistically significant, improvements in the gait of nonclinically lame cows in restrictive housing settings without adverse hoof health effects. Further studies should evaluate different outdoor access benefits and use precise gait and hoof health analysis technologies for a more accurate detection of subtle changes.

Physical Exercise Transforms the Topography and Increases the Invulnerability of the Symptom Network of Depression-Anxiety in the Elderly.

Depression and anxiety often co-occur and have worse impacts on the elderly when experienced simultaneously. Although physical exercise may alleviate depression and anxiety, how it affects the specific symptoms is not fully understood. A total of 8884 participants was selected from the 2018 CLHLS database. The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) were used to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. Participants were divided into the exercise and the nonexercise groups using propensity score matching to minimize the influence of confounding variables. Depression-anxiety symptom networks were constructed, and network indexes were computed for each group, based on various packages of R. By computing network connectivity, invulnerability simulation was used to investigate the role of physical exercise in network robustness. Both groups had D3 (sad mood), A4 (trouble relaxing) and A2 (uncontrollably worry) as central symptoms. In the exercise group, A1 (nervousness), A3 (too much worry) and D1 (bothered by little things) were the strongest bridge nodes. In the nonexercise group, A1 (nervousness), D1 (bothered by little things) and A4 (trouble relaxing) played this role. Participation in physical exercise decreased the centrality of D9 (cannot get doing) but increased the centrality of A3 (too much worry). Furthermore, the exercise group had higher network invulnerability than the nonexercise group under random attack conditions. Physical exercise affected core symptoms of depression-anxiety and the interactions of symptoms. Targeting central or bridge nodes may be an effective intervention for alleviating the comorbidity. Increased network invulnerability manifested the positive effects of physical exercise.

Maltodextrin from Sweet Cassava: A Promising Endurance Enhancer.

The effects of maltodextrin and crude extract from sweet cassava on exercise endurance were examined in the male Wistar rat. The rats were randomly assigned to either an exercise training group or a non-exercise training group. Both groups were further divided into subgroups that received either a control, crude extract (250 or 500 mg/kg), or maltodextrin (250 or 500 mg/kg) orally once daily for 16 days. The time to the point of exhaustion after weight-loaded forced swimming was measured on day 16. Body weight gain, relative organ weight, biochemical parameters, and liver and gastrocnemius muscle glycogen content were also determined. Maltodextrin at a dose of 500 mg/kg significantly increased the time to the point of exhaustion compared to all other groups. Maltodextrin and crude extract with both doses significantly increased liver and gastrocnemius muscle glycogen content compared to the control group. There were no significant differences in glucose, BUN, triglyceride, or insulin levels between the groups. Crude extract at a dose of 250 mg/kg significantly increased AST and ALT levels, and LDH levels significantly increased in the exercise training group. Creatinine levels were significantly higher in the exercise training group compared to the non-exercise training group. Exercise boosted antioxidant enzymes, glycogen, and reduced damaging free radicals in the rats. Maltodextrin and crude extract further amplified this effect by activating AMPK and PGC-1α, suggesting that they combat fatigue through an antioxidant pathway linked to AMPK. These findings suggest that maltodextrin and crude extract from sweet cassava may have the potential to enhance exercise endurance. They may increase glycogen storage in the liver and gastrocnemius muscle, potentially through improved glycogen reserves and glycogen sparing effects. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects.

A Longitudinal Study on the Effect of Exercise Habits on Locomotive Syndrome and Quality of Life during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigated the potential of exercise habits to improve quality of life (QOL) and prevent locomotive syndrome (LS) in residents of Yakumo-cho, Hokkaido, Japan. Participants from the 2018 health checkup were surveyed in February 2022, focusing on 200 respondents. These individuals were divided based on their 2018 exercise habits (at least 1 h per week): the exercise group (E group) and the non-exercise group (N group), further categorized in 2022 into the 2022E and 2022N groups. QOL was measured using the SF-36 (physical functioning, general health, physical role, physical pain, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health) and EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level questionnaires (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), and LS was assessed with the 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale. These showed no significant change in exercise habits from 2018 to 2022. In the non-LS group, the 2022E group had higher vitality and emotional role functioning scores compared to the 2022N group. For those with LS, the 2022E group reported less physical pain. Notably, the LS incidence was significantly lower in the 2022E group. This study concludes that consistent exercise habits positively impact QOL and reduce the LS risk, underscoring the importance of regular physical activity, especially during challenging times like a pandemic. These findings highlight the broader benefits of maintaining exercise routines for public health, particularly in periods of global health crises. Based on our findings, we recommend that people continue to exercise at least one hour per week to prevent LS.

Effect of Aerobic Exercise and Time-Restricted Feeding on Metabolic Markers and Circadian Rhythm in Mice Fed with the High-Fat Diet.

Diet and exercise are significant players in obesity and metabolic diseases. Time-restricted feeding (tRF) has been shown to improve metabolic responses by regulating circadian clocks but whether it acts synergically with exercise remains unknown. It is hypothesized that forced exercise alone or combined with tRF alleviates obesity and its metabolic complications. Male C57bl6 mice are fed with high-fat or a control diet for 12 weeks either ad libitum or tRF for 10 h during their active period. High-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice are divided into exercise (treadmill for 1 h at 12 m min-1 alternate days for 9 weeks and 16 m min-1 daily for the following 3 weeks) and non-exercise groups. tRF and tRF-Ex significantly decreased body weight, food intake, and plasma lipids, and improved glucose tolerance. However, exercise reduced only body weight and plasma lipids. tRF and tRF-Ex significantly downregulated Fasn, Hmgcr, and Srebp1c, while exercise only Hmgcr. HFD feeding disrupted clock genes, but exercise, tRF, and tRF-Ex coordinated the circadian clock genes Bmal1, Per2, and Rev-Erbα in the liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscles. HFD feeding disrupted clock genes in the peripheral organs while exercise, tRF, and their combination restored clock genes and improved metabolic consequences induced by high-fat diet feeding.

Effects of Exercise Habits and Gender on Sports e-Learning Behavior: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Study.

In the post-epidemic era, an increasing number of individuals were accustomed to learning sports and physical activity knowledge online for fitness and health demands. However, most previous studies have examined the influence of e-learning materials and resources on learners and have neglected intrinsic factors such as experience and physiological characteristics. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the effect of exercise habits and gender on sports e-learning behavior via eye-tracking technology. We recruited a sample of 60 undergraduate students (mean age = 19.6) from a university in Nanjing, China. They were randomly assigned into 4 groups based on 2 genders × 2 exercise habits. Their gaze behavior was collected by an eye-tracking device during the experiment. The cognitive Load Test and Learning Effect Test were conducted at the end of the individual experiment. (1) Compared to the non-exercise habit group, the exercise habit group had a higher fixation count (P<0.05), a shorter average fixation duration (P<0.05), a smaller average pupil diameter (P<0.05), and a lower subjective cognitive load (P<0.05) and better learning outcome (P<0.05). (2) Male participants showed a greater tendency to process information from the video area of interest (AOIs), and had lower subjective cognitive load (P < 0.05) and better learning outcomes (P < 0.05). (3) There was no interaction effect between exercise habits and gender for any of the indicators (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that exercise habits effectively enhance sports e-learning outcomes and reduce cognitive load. The exercise habits group showed significant improvements in fixation counts, average fixation duration, and average pupil diameter. Furthermore, male subjects exhibited superior learning outcomes, experienced lower cognitive load, and demonstrated greater attentiveness to dynamic visual information. These conclusions are expected to improve sports e-learning success and address educational inequality.

Impact of physical activity on postural stability in pregnant and postpartum women

PurposeRegular physical activity is recommended by the WHO for women in the perinatal period as one of the basic factors determining the physiological course of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. The study aimed to identify the relationship between regular physical training of pregnant women, carried out in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and postural stability during the perinatal period.Methods58 women in the first trimester of pregnancy took part in the study and were divided into two groups according to their own choice. The exercise group participated in physical training three times a week during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The non-exercise group did not engage in additional physical activity. All subjects underwent three postural stability tests using a stabilograph.ResultsIn assessing posture stability parameters, significant differences were found only in body coordination in the active group of women. The exercise group showed statistically significantly lower values of the stabilogram parameters (better postural stability) obtained postpartum compared to those taken during pregnancy. There were no significant differences between the results taken during pregnancy. In the group of non-exercising women, no significant differences were observed between the second measurement during pregnancy and the measurement made postpartum.ConclusionsIt has been shown that physical activity has a significant impact on improving the coordination of women during pregnancy and postpartum. Women participating in regular physical training were characterised by smaller stabilogram deflections and better postural control compared to the control group.

Assessing the Impact of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Performance

Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of aerobic exercise, such as improved metabolism, strengthened muscle groups, enhanced physical fitness, and potential anti-aging effects. Additionally, research has suggested that aerobic exercise may have a positive impact on mood regulation and the alleviation of negative emotions. This study employs eye tracking as a measurement tool to investigate the influence of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive performance. Participants were randomly assigned to exercise and non-exercise groups. Those in the exercise group engaged in a five-minute session of acute aerobic exercise, followed by a return to normal heart rates. Subsequently, exercise and non-exercise group participants completed reading comprehension tasks, during which an eye tracker tracked their eye movements. According to the eye-tracking results, acute aerobic exercise did not significantly improve participants’ cognitive task performance.Meanwhile, it was found that short time and high-intensity exercise negatively affected attentional shifting during the tasks. Participants in the exercise group exhibited delayed attentional transfer. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by shedding light on the intricate relationship between acute aerobic exercise and cognitive performance. The findings offer recommendations for brief exercise breaks during work or study. Moreover, it is a valuable resource for researchers by offering new insights and methodologies for future investigations.

Comparison of handgrip strength and handgrip endurance in exercising and non-exercising overweight young adults

Background: Exercises cause improvement in handgrip strength (HGS) and handgrip endurance (HGE) which can be measured using the handgrip dynamometer. Aims and Objectives: The present study has been done with the objective of studying the effects of exercise on the HGS and HGE among overweight subjects. Materials and Methods: The study subjects were 60 overweight female medical students who were categorized into exercising and non-exercising groups. The study participant’s HGS and HGE were determined using the handgrip spring-type dynamometer. An unpaired t-test was used to analyze the data. Results: The HGS and HGE were found to be statistically better (P &lt; 0.05) among the exercising overweight subjects than the non-exercising overweight subjects. Conclusion: This study showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in the HGS and HGE among the exercising individuals than the non-exercising individuals. Although the subjects were overweight, making exercise a part of their daily lives may help in improving their overall muscle strength.

Exercise-promoted adiponectin secretion activates autolysosomes to protect the liver of ApoE-/- mice from a high-fat diet.

Fat is a "double-edged sword": while it is a necessary substance for the body, the long-term intake of excessive fat will cause obesity, with the liver subjected to lipotoxicity as it accumulates. It will then continue to deteriorate, eventually leading to liver failure, which is a negative impact of high-fat food intake. Research has shown that exercise can reverse the side effects of a chronic high-fat diet and help the body to mitigate the harmful effects of lipotoxicity. In our study, it was found that moderate-intensity cardio-training (MICT) and high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT) effectively protected the livers of high-fat diet (HFD) ApoE-/- mice against lipotoxicity. Previous results demonstrated that 12 weeks of HFD resulted in a significant elevation of CD36 in the livers of C57BL/6J mice, while knockdown of CD36 did not reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver. Therefore, we used ApoE-/- mice as experimental subjects. Although HFD caused the development of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, it is interesting to note that, due to the knockdown of ApoE, the livers of ApoE-/- mice in the non-exercise group did not show significant lipid deposition; however, after 12 weeks of MICT and HIIT, the livers of ApoE-/- mice showed significant lipid deposition. After we analyzed the lipid metabolism in their livers, we found that this was caused by the promotion of transport of peripheral fat into the liver due to exercise. Moreover, 12 weeks of exercise effectively reduced atherosclerosis, and the livers of ApoE-/- mice in the exercise group were not damaged by lipotoxicity. The results showed that a 12-week exercise treatment activated AMPK in the livers of HFD ApoE-/- mice through the APN-AdipoR1 signaling pathway, improved hepatic lipid metabolism disorders, and promoted the nuclear translocation of TFEB to enhance autophagic-lysosomal lipid scavenging. After the peripheral lipid is input into the liver due to exercise, the energy generated through gluconeogenesis can be used to replenish the energy consumed by exercise and maintain the normal operation of various functions in the liver, based on which the high autophagic flux in the liver can be maintained and the lipid clearance rate can be enhanced to protect the liver from lipotoxicity.

Physical Exercise for Healthy Older Adults and Those with Frailty: What Exercise Is Best and Is There a Difference? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.

All English studies published after 1989 with a controlled design, investigating PE in adults 65 years and over were considered if the study design compared PE to a nonexercise control group. Health-related outcomes included physical, cognitive, and psychological function. Studies that investigated cardiorespiratory disease and used designs like systematic review were excluded. Results and Discussion. Altogether, 57 studies were included of which 38 had data that were useable for meta-analysis. In the healthy aged, a significant benefit of multicomponent exercises (p=0.006, SMD = 1.40, CI = 0.41, 2.40) and tai chi (p=0.01, MD = 0.51, CI = 0.12, 0.91) on physical function was revealed, while strength exercise benefitted cognitive function (p=0.04, SMD = 0.86, CI = 0.03, 1.68). In frail older adults, there was a significant benefit of multicomponent exercises on physical function (p < 0.0001, SMD = -10.85, CI = 5.66, 16.04) and mental health (p=0.0002, SMD = -0.39, CI=-0.18, 0.59). Strength exercise had a significant benefit on activity of daily living (ADL) (p < 0.0003, SMD = 15.78, CI = 7.28, 24.28). The substantial disparity of research in the field of exercise in older adults renders synthesis of the evidence problematic. However, it appears that multicomponent exercise is the most suitable approach for both healthy and frail older adults although the benefit may be reflected in different health outcomes.

Effects of weight-bearing dance aerobics on lower limb muscle morphology, strength and functional fitness in older women.

To investigate the effects of 12-week weight-bearing dance aerobics (WBDA) on muscle morphology, strength and functional fitness in older women. This controlled study recruited 37 female participants (66.31y ± 3.83) and divided them into intervention and control groups according to willingness. The intervention group received 90-min WBDA thrice a week for 12 weeks, while the control group maintained normal activities. The groups were then compared by measuring muscle thickness, fiber length and pennation angle by ultrasound, muscle strength using an isokinetic multi-joint module and functional fitness, such as 2-min step test, 30-s chair stand, chair sit-and-reach, TUG and single-legged closed-eyed standing test. The morphology, strength, and functional fitness were compared using ANCOVA or Mann-Whitney U test to study the effects of 12 weeks WBDA. Among all recruited participants, 33 completed all tests. After 12 weeks, the thickness of the vastus intermedius (F = 17.85, P < 0.01) and quadriceps (F = 15.62, P < 0.01) was significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control group, along with a significant increase in the torque/weight of the knee flexor muscles (F = 4.47, P = 0.04). Similarly, the intervention group revealed a significant improvement in the single-legged closed-eyed standing test (z = -2.16, P = 0.03) compared to the control group. The study concluded that compared to the non-exercising control group, 12-week WBDA was shown to thicken vastus intermedius, increase muscle strength, and improve physical function in older women. In addition, this study provides a reference exercise program for older women.

A Self-Paced Walk Test for Individual Calibration of Heart Rate to Energy Expenditure

Introduction: Estimating free-living physical activity (PA) with continuous heart rate (HR) monitoring is challenging due to individual variation in the relationship between HR and energy expenditure. This variation can be captured through individual calibration with graded exercise tests, but structured tests with prescribed load require medical screening and are not always feasible in population settings. We present and evaluate an individual calibration method using HR response to a less demanding self-paced walk test. Methods: Six hundred and forty-three participants from the Fenland Study (Cambridgeshire, the United Kingdom) completed a 200-m self-paced walk test, a treadmill test, and 1 week of continuous HR and accelerometry monitoring. Mixed-effects regression was used to derive a walk test calibration model from HR response to the walk using treadmill-based parameters as criterion. Free-living PA estimates from the calibration model were compared with treadmill-calibrated and non-exercise-calibrated estimates. Results: Walk calibration captured 57% of the variance in the HR–energy expenditure relationship determined by the treadmill test. Applying walk calibration to data from free-living yielded similar PA estimates to those using treadmill calibration (52.7 vs. 52.0 kJ·kg−1·day−1; mean difference: 0.7 kJ·kg−1·day−1, 95% confidence interval [−0.0, 1.5]) and high correlation (r = .89). Individual differences were observed (root mean square error: 10.0 kJ·kg−1·day−1; 95% limits of agreement: −20.6, 19.1 kJ·kg−1·day−1). Walk calibration improved precision by 29% compared with nonexercise group calibration (root mean square error: 14.0 kJ·kg−1·day−1; 95% limits of agreement: −30.4, 24.5 kJ·kg−1·day−1). Conclusions: A 200-m self-paced walk test captures between-individual variation in the HR–energy expenditure relationship and facilitates estimation of free-living PA in population settings.

Clinical and neuroimaging correlates in a pilot randomized trial of aerobic exercise for major depression

BackgroundAerobic exercise (AE) combined with pharmacotherapy is known to reduce depressive symptoms; however, studies have not focused on long-term AE for volumetric changes of brain regions (amygdala, thalamus, and nucleus accumbens [NAcc]) linked to the control of affective responses and hopelessness in individuals with major depression (MD). In addition, AE with motor complexity (AEMC) would be more effective than AE in causing brain plasticity. We compared the effects of 24 weeks of AE and AEMC combined with pharmacotherapy on clinical and volumetric outcomes in individuals with MD. MethodsForty medicated individuals with MD were randomly assigned to nonexercising control (C), AE, and AEMC groups. The training groups exercised for 60 min, twice a week for 24 weeks. Clinical and volumetric outcomes were assessed before and after the 24 weeks. Effect size (ES) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated for within-group and between-groups changes. ResultsAE and AEMC reduced hopelessness (ES = −0.73 and ES = −0.62, respectively) and increased affective responses (ES = 1.24 and ES = 1.56, respectively). Only AE increased amygdala (ES = 0.27 left and ES = 0.34 right), thalamus (ES = 0.33 left and ES = 0.26 right) and left NAcc (ES = 0.54) volumes. AE was more effective than the C group in reducing hopelessness and causing brain plasticity. The changes in the right amygdala volume showed a strong trend in explaining 72 % of the changes in affective responses following AE (p = 0.06). LimitationLack of posttraining follow-up and small sample size. ConclusionThese preliminary data indicate that AE combined with pharmacotherapy can cause clinical improvement and brain plasticity in individuals with MD.

Effect of beta-blockers and exercise restriction on the prevention of sudden cardiac death in pediatric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BackgroundRisk assessment tools and effective prevention strategies for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in pediatric patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of beta-blockers and exercise restriction for SCD prevention in this population. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged <18 years who were diagnosed with HCM at our center between January 1996 and December 2021. SCD and aborted SCD were defined as SCD equivalents. We divided patients based on whether they were prescribed beta-blockers or exercise restriction and compared the outcomes among the groups. The primary outcome was the overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcome was the cumulative SCD equivalent rate. Outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard analysis. We also compared patients according to the occurrence of SCD equivalents to identify SCD risk predictors. ResultsAmong the 43 included patients [mean age, 7.7 (1.6–12.1) years; 23 male individuals], SCD equivalents occurred in 13 patients over 11.2 (4.5–15.6) years of follow-up, among whom 12 were resuscitated and 1 died. The OS rate was significantly higher in the beta-blocker and exercise restriction groups than in the non-beta-blocker and non-exercise restriction groups (81.3 % vs. 19.1 %, p < 0.01 and 57.4 % vs. 12.7 %, p < 0.01, respectively). Among the 13 patients with SCD equivalents, 5 had 9 recurrent SCD equivalents. A significant difference was observed between the SCD equivalent and non-SCD equivalent groups in the history of suspected arrhythmogenic syncope (p < 0.01) in the univariable but not in the multivariable analysis. ConclusionsBeta-blockers and exercise restriction may decrease the risk of SCD in pediatric patients with HCM and should be considered for SCD prevention in this population, particularly because predicting SCD in these patients remains challenging.

Developing Topics.

Exercise 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. We 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. In 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. Participation 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.

Impact of Physical Activity on the Association Between Unhealthy Adolescent Behaviors and Anxiety Among Korean Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study.

Adolescents who engage in unhealthy behaviors are particularly vulnerable to anxiety. We hypothesized that participation in physical activity could influence the relationship between anxiety and unhealthy behaviors in adolescents. These behaviors include smoking, alcohol consumption, and unsafe sexual activity. This study included 50 301 students from the first year of middle school to the third year of high school, all from Korea. The unhealthy adolescent behaviors examined included current alcohol consumption, current smoking, and unsafe sexual behavior. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7). The participants had a mean age of 15.19 years and an average GAD-7 score of 4.23. No significant differences were observed in GAD-7 score among exercising participants when categorized by smoking status (p=0.835) or unsafe sexual behavior (p=0.489). In contrast, participants in the non-exercise group who engaged in these behaviors demonstrated significantly higher GAD-7 scores (p<0.001 and 0.016, respectively). The only significant interaction was found between unsafe sexual behavior and exercise (p=0.009). Based on logistic regression analysis, within the non-exercise group, significant positive associations were observed between current smoking and anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.57), as well as between unsafe sexual behavior and anxiety (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.73). However, within the exercise group, no significant association was found between anxiety and either smoking or unsafe sexual behavior. Furthermore, no significant interaction was observed between unhealthy behaviors and exercise. These findings are insufficient to conclude that physical activity influences the relationship between unhealthy behaviors and anxiety.