Open Collections

Cirone, Victoria

University of British Columbia

Sixty-one percent of Canadians with dementia are female. Neuroendocrine changes during perimenopause may contribute to females’ higher prevalence of dementia. Perimenopause is a critical window to promote female brain health. Exercise is a promising strategy targeting a key modifiable risk factor for dementia — physical inactivity — and promotes cognitive function. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves anaerobic exercise intervals interspersed with aerobic rest periods and improves cardiorespiratory fitness. High-intensity interval training addresses the lack-of-time barrier to exercise experienced by many perimenopausal females. High-intensity interval training’s effects on cognitive function and brain health in perimenopausal females has not been examined. Thus, I conducted a feasibility study to assess the feasibility, safety, and explore the effects of 12 weeks of HIIT on cardiorespiratory fitness, verbal episodic memory, and structural neuroimaging outcomes. Feasibility outcomes include: 1) recruitment rate (primary feasibility outcome); 2) adherence; and 3) withdrawal rate. Safety was assessed by the number of most-likely or definitely-related adverse events. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Verbal episodic memory was assessed by Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test immediate and 30-minute delayed recall. Total, left, and right hippocampal volume were measured by T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Myelin content was measured by myelin water fraction. The traffic light system for feasibility criteria categorized feasibility outcomes as: 1) go; 2) amend; or 3) stop. Point estimates for the secondary objective outcomes included mean change, standard deviation, percent change, and Cohen’s d. Sixteen perimenopausal females (mean age = 48.94 years) were recruited in 21 months. Eleven participants were included in the point estimate analysis. Recruitment rate (0.76 participants per month) and withdrawal rate (18.75%) were in the “amend” category. Adherence (87.95%) was in the “go” category. There were five adverse events related to the intervention or study procedures. The HIIT intervention had a positive and large effect on immediate and 30-minute delayed recall, and a positive and small effect on cardiorespiratory fitness and structural neuroimaging outcomes. Based on the results of this feasibility study, future studies should consider: 1) offering a hybrid exercise intervention; and 2) re-evaluating exogenous hormones and depression symptomology exclusion criteria.

Text

2024-12-02

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89769

Rehabilitation Sciences

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/