Best et al., 2015 (S1)26
|
n=155 |
Resistance training |
Balance and toning exercises |
High |
60 min 3x/week |
52 weeks |
Brain volume, mood and cognition. |
1. Resistance training improves memory, reduces cortical white matter atrophy and increases peak muscle power executive function, compared with balance-and-toning. 2. These effects persisted at 2-year follow-up, relative to balance-and-toning. |
Church et al., 2016 (S2)10
|
n=20 |
High-intensity low-volume (HI) |
Low-intensity high-volume (HV) |
Moderate to high |
Duration not informed 4x/week |
8 weeks |
Plasma BDNF |
1. BDNF response is significantly elevated after both high-intensity and high-volume training protocols. |
Demirakca et al., 2016 (S3)37
|
n=21 |
Coordination exercises + cognitive training |
Rest |
n/a |
60 min, 1x/week |
13 weeks |
Functional connectivity (rs-fMRI) |
1. Significant connectivity alterations occurred between the visual cortex and parts of the superior parietal area (BA7). Premotor area and cingulate gyrus were also affected. |
Forti et al., 2015 (S46
|
n=56 |
High and low resistance training |
Mixed low resistance training |
Low and high |
Duration not informed 3x/week |
12 weeks |
Plasma BDNF |
1. Only the mixed-low-resistance training program (high number of repetitions at a sufficiently high external resistance) was able to increase circulating BDNF in older male participants. 2. Training to volitional fatigue might be necessary to obtain optimal results. |
Gregoire et al., 2019 (S5)28
|
n=34 |
Lower body strength + aerobic training (LBS-A) and upper body strength + aerobic training (UBS-A) |
Gross motor activities (GMA). |
Not informed |
60 min, 3x/week |
8 weeks |
Plasma BDNF and cognition |
1. All interventions resulted in improved cognitive functions but the GMA intervention induced a larger increase in plasma BDNF concentration (cognition improvement could occur without concomitant detectable changes in BDNF). 2. No correlation was observed between changes in BDNF concentrations and cognitive performances. |
Hvid et al., 2017 (S6)29
|
n=47 |
Progressive high-intensity power training |
No intervention |
Moderate to high |
Approx. 45 min, 2x/week |
12 weeks |
Serum BDNF (mature and total) |
1. Baseline systemic levels of serum mBDNF and tBDNF were not affected by exercise training. |
Kim L et al., 2017 (S7)17
|
n=21 |
Strength training |
No intervention |
Moderate |
50-60 min, 3x/week |
24 weeks |
Hippocampus volume |
1. Hippocampus volume was significantly increased in the strength exercise group, but decreased in the control group. |
Kim J et al., 2018 (S8)30
|
n=26 |
Aquarobic exercise program |
Not informed |
Moderate |
60 min, 2x/week |
12 weeks |
Plasma BDNF and irisin |
1. Significantly higher serum irisin and BDNF levels in the exercise group than in the control group were found. 2. Serum irisin and BDNF levels were significantly higher 30 min after the first exercise session and 30 min after the last exercise session. |
Kleemeyer et al., 2015 (S9)13
|
n=52 |
High-intensity aerobic exercise |
Low-intensity aerobic exercise |
Low-vigorous |
25-55 min, 2-3x/week |
6 months |
Hippocampus volume and microstructure |
1. More positive changes in fitness were associated with more positive changes in tissue density and more positive changes in tissue density were associated with more positive changes in volume. 2. Fitness-related changes in hippocampus volume may be brought about by changes in tissue density. |
Maddock et al., 2016 (S10)9
|
n=38 |
Aerobic exercise |
Rest |
Vigorous |
30 min |
Acute |
Cortical glutamate and GABA levels (MRS) |
1. Results showed that glutamate and GABA signals increased significantly in the visual cortex following exercise. In addition, there was an increase in glutamate following exercise in the anterior cingulate cortex. 2. The results are consistent with an exercise-induced expansion of the cortical pools of glutamate and GABA. |
Matura et al., 2017 (S11)31
|
n=53 |
Aerobic exercise |
Waiting list |
Moderate |
30 min, 3x/week |
12 weeks |
Brain metabolism, gray matter (GM) volume and cognition. |
1. Cerebral choline concentrations remained stable in the exercise group, while increasing in the control group. 2. No effect of training was seen on cerebral N-acetyl aspartate or BDNF levels and no changes in cortical GM volume in response to aerobic exercise. 3. Stable choline concentrations in the intervention group might indicate a neuroprotective effect of aerobic exercise. |
Magon et al., 2016 (S12)32
|
n=28 |
Slackline training |
Educational Sessions |
n/a |
90 min, 3x/week |
6 weeks |
Functional connectivity (MRI) |
1. MRI analysis did not reveal morphological or functional connectivity differences before or after the training between the intervention and control groups. 2. However, subsequent analysis in subjects with improved slackline performance showed a decrease of connectivity between the striatum and other brain areas during the training period, which means an increased efficiency of the striatal network. |
Marston et al., 2019 (S13)33
|
n=45 |
High-load resistance training and moderate-load resistance training |
No intervention |
Moderate to high |
Duration not informed 2x/week |
12 weeks |
Peripheral growth factors and homocysteine |
1. High-load or moderate-load resistance training twice per week for 12 weeks has no effect on peripheral growth factors or homocysteine in healthy late middle-aged adults. |
Nagamatsu et al., 2016 (S14)34
|
n=101 |
Aerobic exercise |
Toning exercises |
Moderate |
40 min, 1x/week |
12 months |
Mobility and basal ganglion volume |
1. In both groups, no differences were observed in the putamen volume regardless of change in mobility. 2. However, those who declined in mobility levels significantly decreased in left putamen volume. |
Neimann et al., 2014 (S15)35
|
n=92 |
Aerobic exercise and coordination training |
Stretching and relaxation |
Moderate |
45-60 min, 3x/week |
12 months |
Basa ganglion volume |
1. Motor fitness but not cardiovascular fitness was positively related with the volume of the putamen and the globus pallidus. 2. Coordination training increased caudate and globus pallidus volume. |
Nocera et al., 2017 (S16)36
|
n=32 |
Aerobic exercise |
Balance exercises |
Moderate to vigorous |
20-45 min, 3x/week |
12 weeks |
Brain activity during cognitive tasks |
1. Cognition (verbal fluency) was improved in the aerobic exercise group, compared with controls. 2. fMRI comparisons of IFG (inferior frontal gyrus) activity showed lower activity in the right IFG following the intervention in the aerobic group, compared with controls. |
Oliveira et al., 2019 (S17)37
|
n=34 |
Aerobic exercise |
Waiting list |
Moderate |
40 min, 3x/week |
12 weeks |
Plasma anandamide (AEA), mood and body weight |
1. Regular moderate aerobic exercise reduces plasma AEA levels. 2. This reduction was associated with weight loss and improved mood, in particular, reduced anger. |
Suwabe et al., 2018 (S18)38
|
n=36 |
Aerobic exercise |
Rest |
Low |
10 min |
Acute |
Functional connectivity during cognitive task |
1. A single 10-min bout of exercise increased functional connectivity between hippocampus DG/CA3 and cortical regions. 2. The magnitude of the enhanced functional connectivity predicted the extent of memory improvement. |
Tamura et al., 2014 (S19)39
|
n=110 |
Calisthenics |
Not informed |
Moderate |
10 min/day, everyday |
2 years |
Brain volume and cognition |
1. The exercise group showed significant improvements in attentional shift. 2. Neuroimaging analysis revealed the significant preservation of bilateral prefrontal volume in the exercise group. 3. The longitudinal changes in attentional shift and memory were positively correlated with the prefrontal volumetric changes. |
Rosano et al., 2017 (S20)40
|
n=27 |
Aerobic exercise |
Health education |
Moderate |
Not reported |
2 years |
Hippocampus volume |
1. Increased volume of the left hippocampus, left cornu ammonis and right hippocampus in the intervention group. |
Varma et al 2015 (S21)14
|
n=92 |
Aerobic exercise (walking) |
Not informed |
Low to vigorous |
10,000 steps/day threshold (pedometer) |
Not informed |
Hippocampus volume |
1. A greater amount, duration, and frequency of total daily walking activity were each associated with larger hippocampus volume among older women, but not men. 2. These relationships were specific to hippocampus volume, compared to the thalamus, used as a control brain region, and remained significant for low-intensity walking activity, independent of moderate to vigorous-intensity activity and self-reported exercise |
Vaughan et al., 2014 (S22)11
|
n=49 |
Multimodal exercise program (cardiovascular, strength and motor fitness) |
Waiting list |
Not reported |
60 min, 2x/week |
16 weeks |
BDNF and cognition |
1. The exercise program resulted in neurocognitive and physical performance improvements and increased levels of plasma BDNF, in older women, compared with controls. 2. Increases in BDNF levels imply neurogenesis may be a component of the mechanism underpinning the cognitive improvements associated with exercise. |
Wagner et al., 2015 (S23)12
|
n=34 |
Aerobic exercise |
Not informed |
Moderate |
60 min, 3x/week |
6 weeks |
Hippocampus volume, hippocampus glutamate/ glutamine and NAA (N-acetyl aspartate). |
1. A positive correlation between the degree of fitness improvement and increased BDNF levels was found. 2. A volume decrease of about 2% of the hippocampus was negatively correlated with fitness improvement and increased BDNF levels; and positively correlated with increased TNF-α concentrations. 3. A decrease in glutamate-glutamine levels was observed in the right anterior hippocampus in the exercise group only. |
Zschucke et al., 2014 (S24)41
|
n=40 |
Aerobic exercise |
Light stretching exercises |
Moderate |
30 min |
Acute |
Brain activation (fMRI) during stress task (MIST) cortisol and amylase |
1. Participants of the aerobic group showed a significantly reduced cortisol response to the MIST, which was inversely related to the previous exercise-induced amylase and cortisol fluctuations. 2. Higher bilateral hippocampus activity and lower prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity was observed in the aerobic group. |