Key result
Running program linked to ~24% higher VO2 max and improved cognition in an alcoholic patient.
Why the study?
Abusive alcohol use is associated with cerebral damage, impaired cognition, poor autonomic control, and cardiovascular health issues, and aerobic exercise may mitigate these effects.
Does a three-month running program improve cerebral oxygenation, cognition, and autonomic nervous system control in a chronic alcohol abuser?
Case Report (n=1)
Does a three-month running program improve cerebral oxygenation, cognition, and autonomic nervous system control in a chronic alcohol abuser?
A three-month running program improved cerebral function, cognition, and cardiovascular health in a hospitalized chronic alcohol abuser.
May support aerobic exercise in alcohol use disorder recovery; leaves open efficacy beyond this single case.
The abusive use of alcohol has shown to be associated to cerebral damage, impaired cognition, poor autonomic nervous control, impaired cardiovascular health, increased levels of stress and anxiety, depression symptoms and poor quality of life. Aerobic exercise has shown to be an efficient tool to reduce and overcome these issues. In this case report, a patient (forty-four years old, male) under treatment in public psychiatric hospital, classified as having a substance use disorder, underwent a three-month running program. The maximal oxygen consumption increased from 24.2 ml/kg/min to 30.1 ml/kg/min, running time increased from 6 min to 45 min (650%) and distance covered from 765 m to 8700 m (1037.2%). In prefrontal cortex oxygenation, oxyhemoglobin levels improved by 76.1%, deoxyhemoglobin decreased 96.9% and total hemoglobin increased 78.8% during exercise. Reaction time in the cognitive test during rest decreased 23%, and the number of correct answers increased by 266.6%. Parasympathetic cardiac parameters increased in several heart rate variability indices. Thus, we conclude that running exercise performed by an alcoholic patient hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital improves cerebral function, cognition and cardiovascular health.
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Cabral et al. (2017) conducted a case report in Substance use disorder / chronic alcohol abuse (n=1). Running program was evaluated on Maximal oxygen consumption, running time, distance covered, prefrontal cortex oxygenation, and cognitive reaction time. A three-month running program in a 44-year-old male alcoholic patient increased maximal oxygen consumption from 24.2 to 30.1 ml/kg/min and improved prefrontal cortex oxygenation and cognition.
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