Fitness and Exercise Effects on Brain Age: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Examine the effect of aerobic exercise on structural brain age and explore potential mediators.

Methods

In a single-blind, 12-month randomized clinical trial, 130 healthy participants aged 26-58 years were randomized into a moderator-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise group or a usual-care control group. The exercise group attended 2 supervised 60-minute sessions per week in a laboratory setting plus home-based exercise to achieve 150 minutes of exercise per week. Brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were assessed at baseline and 12 months. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and completers analyses were performed.

Results

The 130 participants (67.7% female) had a mean (SD) age of 41.28 (9.93) years. At baseline, higher CR

SUBMITTER: Wan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11888500 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature