Greater cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with higher cerebral blood flow and lower oxygen extraction fraction in healthy older adults.

ABSTRACT: Aerobic exercise training promotes cardiovascular, brain and cognitive health. Regular exercise is associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness, commonly assessed by peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) during maximal effort testing. Higher cardiorespiratory fitness has been linked to preserved brain health, particularly higher gray matter volume and perfusion. The brain relies heavily on oxidative metabolism, yet the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain oxidative metabolism remains underexplored. This study investigated the association between VO_2peak and two key cerebral metabolic parameters: the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO₂) and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), which represents the balance between cerebral blood f

SUBMITTER: Sanami S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811104 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature