Key result
Average or high cardiorespiratory fitness and meeting physical activity guidelines attenuated the negative relationship between aortic pulse wave velocity and cerebral blood flow (P<0.05).
Why the study?
Poor cardiorespiratory fitness and low physical activity relate to higher central arterial stiffness and lower cerebral blood flow, but whether they moderate the inverse relationship between arterial stiffness and cerebral blood flow was unknown.
Does higher cardiorespiratory fitness or physical activity attenuate the negative relationship between arterial stiffness and cerebral blood flow?
Cross-Sectional (n=78)
Yes
Does higher cardiorespiratory fitness or physical activity attenuate the negative relationship between arterial stiffness and cerebral blood flow?
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness and meeting physical activity guidelines attenuate the negative impact of aortic stiffness on cerebral blood flow.
Fitness may attenuate arterial stiffness effects on cerebral flow; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective confirmation before practice change.
INTRODUCTION Central arterial stiffness and cerebral blood flow (CBF) are inversely related. Poor cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and low physical activity (PA) are related to both higher arterial stiffness and lower CBF. The present study examined (i) whether CRF or PA moderate the relationship between arterial stiffness and CBF, and (ii) whether the intensity or the type of PA needs to be considered. METHODS Participants ( N = 78, Mean AGE = 64.2±6.14, 72% female) from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention and the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center were categorized into low, average, and high fitness groups based on maximal graded exercise treadmill test performance. PA was assessed using the CHAMPS (Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors) questionnaire. Based on hours/week, participants were classified as meeting the recommended 2.5 h of moderate intensity PA per week (PA Rec Met). Weekly hours of moderate and low intensity PA were calculated as activities of > 3 or < 3 metabolic equivalents, respectively. Activity type was categorized as exercise‐, sports/leisure‐ and work‐related. Arterial stiffness was measured as aortic pulse wave velocity (aoPWV) by 2D phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CBF was assessed by 4D flow MRI in the internal carotid arteries (ICAs), cavernous ICAs, middle cerebral arteries (MCAs), and via two composite measures of total and global flow. RESULTS The association between aoPWV and CBF differed by fitness levels, with a negative relationship in the low fitness group and positive relationships in the average and high fitness groups (all P s<0.05). Significant moderating effects on the relationships between aoPWV and CBF were also observed for PA Rec Met (all P s<0.05), moderate intensity ( p = 0.05), and exercise‐related (all p’ s < 0.02) PA. DISCUSSION Average or high fitness, meeting the PA guidelines, and more specifically, moderate intensity and exercise‐related PA seem to attenuate the negative relationship between aoPWV on CBF. Highlights Higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) reduces the negative impact of aortic pulse wave velocity (aoPWV) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) 150 min of moderate physical activity (PA) also mitigates this impact, depending on activity type Innovative methods: use of cranial 4D flow MRI for CBF assessment
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Breidenbach et al. (2025) reported a cross-sectional. Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity vs. Low fitness and low physical activity was evaluated on Moderating effect of fitness and physical activity on the relationship between aortic pulse wave velocity (aoPWV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) (p=<0.05). Average or high cardiorespiratory fitness and meeting physical activity guidelines attenuated the negative relationship between aortic pulse wave velocity and cerebral blood flow (P<0.05).
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