1. A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body – Association between Level and Change in Physical Fitness and Brain Atrophy
Benjamin Aribisala
Brain Research Imaging Centre
Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh
Co-authors: Alan Gow, Mark Bastin, Maria Valdés Hernández, Natalie Royle, Susana Muñoz Maniega, John Starr, Ian Deary, Joanna Wardlaw

2. Introduction
Better fitness is associated with higher cognitive ability
More brain atrophy is associated with poorer cognitive ability
The underlying mechanism through which fitness affects cognitive ability in under investigated
Cognitive Ability
Fitness
Brain Atrophy

3. Aim and Hypotheses Aim Hypotheses To examine the associations between
Current physical fitness level and brain atrophy
Change in physical fitness level and brain atrophy
Hypotheses
A higher level of fitness is associated with less brain atrophy
Fitness decline over a period of time is associated with greater brain atrophy

4. Lothian Birth Cohort 1936
Surviving participants of Scottish Mental Survey 1947
N=70, 805
All born in 1936
Nationwide IQ test at age 11, 1947
community dwelling, Lothian area of Scotland
Wave 1 ( )
N= 1091
Cognitive and Physical Fitness assessment
Mean age 70
Wave 2 ( )
N= 866
Mean age 73
Brain MR imaging (N=700)

5. Brain Atrophy Measurements
Brain MR, Age 73, 1.5 T GE scanner, T1W, T2W, T2*W, FLAIR
Segmentation used MCMxxxVI1
Fuses pairs of MR Images in R/G colour space
Enhances visual differences
T2W
T1W
T2*W
FLAIR
FUSED
Volumetric measurements
Total Brain Tissue
Ventricle
CSF
Grey Matter
Normal Appearing White Matter
Intracranial volume
1. Valdes Hernandez et a., Eur. Radiol., 2010, 20(7):

6. Physical Fitness Measurements
Grip strength
Forced Expiratory Volume
6-meter timed walk measures =
Grip strength measures
Forced expiratory volume measures
Forced Expiratory Volume
Grip Strength
6-meter timed walk
general Fitness factor
6-meter timed walk
All measures
Taken at mean ages 70 and 73
Adjusted for height and sex

7. Results All fitness variables
reduced from age 70 to 73
Higher level of fitness was associated with larger
brain tissue
Similar for ages 70 and 73
No association with Fitness change
Values are standardized β
Red= Significant, p<0.01

8. Results Higher level of fitness was associated with smaller ventricle
Similar for ages 70 and 73
Similar for CSF
No association with Fitness change
Values are standardized β
Red= Significant, p<0.01

9. Results
Higher level of fitness was associated with larger normal appearing white matter volume
Similar for ages 70 and 73
Fitness decline from ages 70 to 73 was associated with smaller NAWM
Values are standardized β
Red= Significant, p<0.01

10. Conclusions Hypotheses
A higher level of fitness was associated with lower brain atrophy
Fitness decline from age 70 to 73 was associated with higher brain atrophy, only for normal appearing white matter
Findings support improving fitness levels as an intervention to maintain brain health in later life
Future work
Will include longitudinal volumetric measurements to assess association between change in fitness level and change in brain volumes
Longer time follow up is required to determine the true associations and mechanisms through which fitness might influence brain structure

11. Questions