Aerobic Exercise Practiced Over Time Mitigates the Structural Effects on the Vascular System Caused by the Deleterious Effects of Aging.

BACKGROUND

Aerobic training has been considered beneficial for determining the detrimental alterations in blood vessels caused by aging.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the relationship between the preventive effects of aerobic exercise and time of practice on cardiovascular health, in aged Wistar rats.

METHODS

Wistar rats (16 months) were divided into 3 groups: (1) sedentary (AGED); (2) long-term trained\61 weeks (LTT); and (3) short-term trained\final 8 weeks of life (STT). Body weight, maximum physical capacity, systolic blood pressure (SBP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), plasma nitrite (NO), oxidative stress (TBARS), wall thickness, the wall-to-lumen ratio, and collagen of the thoracic aorta, carotid, and femoral arteries were measured.

RESULTS

Both trained groups showed an increase in physical capacity when compared to the AGED group (p=<0.001 for LTT and p=0.011 for STT), and the LTT group demonstrated higher values when compared to the STT group (p= 0.004). The LTT group presented attenuation of PWV (p= 0.002) and a reduction in the wall thickness and wall-to-lumen ratio of the thoracic aorta (p=0.032 and 0.008, respectively) and carotid arteries (p=0.019 and 0.012, respectively) when compared to the AGED group. The STT group presented a reduction in TBARS compared to the AGED group (p=0.046). Additionally, both trained groups (LTT and STT) presented a reduction in the percentage of arterial collagen compared to the AGED group in the thoracic aorta (p=<0.001 and p=0.001 respectively) and carotid arteries (p= <0.008 and p= 0.041 respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that long-term training decreased the level of collagen, PWV values, wall thickness, and the wall-to-lumen ratio of the aorta and carotid arteries compared to the AGED group. Moreover, short-term training reduced TBARS and collagen percentage in the aorta and carotid arteries compared to the AGED group.