School of Science, Technology and Health, York St. John University, New York, UK.
Sport and Physical Activity Research Institute, University of the West of Scotland, Blantyre, UK.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2023 May;123(5):1051-1066. doi: 10.1007/s00421-022-05123-x. Epub 2023 Jan 13.
Aging females are at risk of declining vascular and cognitive function. Exercise can augment both factors independently; however, the influence of exercise on their interdependence is less clearly understood. Ultrasound speckle tracking is a sensitive novel measure of arterial aging but has not previously been used in middle-aged females. We aimed to elucidate the potential interactions between vascular and cognitive variables in active aging females.
Twelve active (56 ± 5 years; [Formula: see text]: 34.5 ± 6.1 ml.kg.min) and 13 inactive (57 ± 4 years; 22.8 ± 2.6 ml.kg.min) healthy middle-aged females were included. Ultrasound speckle tracking assessed short-axis common carotid artery (CCA) compliance via peak circumferential strain (PCS) and strain rate (PSR) at rest, during, and after 3-min isometric handgrip exercise. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was assessed using ultrasound. Cognitive function was measured using Verbal Fluency, Trail Making, Stroop, and Digit Span tests.
PCS (P = 0.003) and PSR (P = 0.004), were higher in the active cohort. FMD was similar between groups (P > 0.05). Minimal differences in cognitive function existed between groups, although the inactive group performed better in one test of animal Verbal Fluency (P < 0.01). No associations were observed between PCS, PSR, or FMD with cognitive function (all P > 0.05).
This is the first study to assess PCS and PSR in middle-aged females and demonstrates that active middle-aged females exhibit a superior carotid artery profile compared to their inactive counterparts. However, PCS and PSR of the carotid artery may not be linked with cognitive function in middle-aged females.
衰老女性存在血管和认知功能下降的风险。运动可以独立增强这两个因素；然而，运动对它们相互依赖的影响还不太清楚。超声斑点追踪是一种评估动脉老化的敏感新方法，但尚未在中年女性中使用。我们旨在阐明活跃老年女性中血管和认知变量之间的潜在相互作用。
共纳入 12 名活跃（56±5 岁；[公式：见正文]：34.5±6.1 ml.kg.min）和 13 名不活跃（57±4 岁；22.8±2.6 ml.kg.min）健康中年女性。超声斑点追踪通过峰值周向应变（PCS）和应变率（PSR）评估颈总动脉（CCA）短轴顺应性，在休息、3 分钟等长握力运动期间和之后进行。使用超声评估肱动脉血流介导的扩张（FMD）。认知功能通过词语流畅性、轨迹生成、斯特鲁普和数字跨度测试进行测量。
活跃组的 PCS（P=0.003）和 PSR（P=0.004）更高。两组之间的 FMD 相似（P>0.05）。两组之间的认知功能差异很小，但不活跃组在一项动物词语流畅性测试中表现更好（P<0.01）。PCS、PSR 或 FMD 与认知功能之间均无相关性（均 P>0.05）。
这是第一项评估中年女性 PCS 和 PSR 的研究，表明活跃的中年女性与不活跃的同龄女性相比，颈动脉具有更好的动脉壁特征。然而，颈动脉的 PCS 和 PSR 可能与中年女性的认知功能无关。
