Cerebral oxygenation during cortical activation: the differential influence of three exercise training modalities. A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE

To determine if a cerebral oxygenation response during cortical activation is influenced by exercise training mode.

METHODS

Sixty-seven individuals (55-75 years old) volunteered for this 16-week intervention study. Participants were randomized into a resistance training (RT) group (n = 22), high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group (n = 13), moderate continuous training (MCT) group (n = 13) and a control (CON) group (n = 19). Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to measure cerebral oxygenation during the Stroop task. A submaximal Bruce treadmill test was used to measure changes in walking endurance.

RESULTS

The GROUP × TIME interaction for reaction time on the naming and executive Stroop conditions were not significant (P > 0.05). At post-test, the CON group showed increased brain activation, with significantly higher relative oxy-haemoglobin (OHb) values during the naming Stroop condition compared to pre-test (P = 0.03), while their increased relative OHb on the complex condition showed a distinct trend toward significance (P = 0.09). MCT and HIIT participants exhibited decreased brain activation during the Stroop task, with MCT showing a significant increase in relative deoxy-haemoglobin (HHb) compared to pre-test during the naming and executive Stroop conditions (P < 0.05). The HIIT group improved significantly in walking endurance (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Sixteen weeks of exercise training resulted in more efficient cerebral oxygenation during cortical activation compared to a no-exercise control group. Furthermore, HIIT and MCT were superior to RT for task-efficient cerebral oxygenation and improved oxygen utilization during cortical activation in older individuals.