Fitness, but not physical activity, is related to functional integrity of brain networks associated with aging.

ABSTRACT: Greater physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with reduced age-related cognitive decline and lower risk for dementia. However, significant gaps remain in the understanding of how physical activity and fitness protect the brain from adverse effects of brain aging. The primary goal of the current study was to empirically evaluate the independent relationships between physical activity and fitness with functional brain health among healthy older adults, as measured by the functional connectivity of cognitively and clinically relevant resting state networks. To build context for fitness and physical activity associations in older adults, we first demonstrate that young adults have greater within-network functional connectivity across a broad range of cortical associati

SUBMITTER: Voss MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4837101 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature