Cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in midlife: neuroprotection or neuroselection?

Belsky, Daniel W

Caspi, Avshalom

Israel, Salomon

Blumenthal, James A

Poulton, Richie

Moffitt, Terrie E

United States

2015-04-29T14:00:41Z

2015-04

OBJECTIVE: A study was undertaken to determine whether better cognitive functioning at midlife among more physically fit individuals reflects neuroprotection, by which fitness protects against age-related cognitive decline, or neuroselection, by which children with higher cognitive functioning select more active lifestyles. METHODS: Children in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study (N = 1,037) completed the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and the Trail Making, Rey Delayed Recall, and Grooved Pegboard tasks as children and again at midlife (age = 38 years). Adult cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using a submaximal exercise test to estimate maximum oxygen consumption adjusted for body weight in milliliters/minute/kilogram. We tested whether more fit individuals had better cognitive functioning than their less fit counterparts (which could be consistent with neuroprotection), and whether better childhood cognitive functioning predisposed to better adult cardiorespiratory fitness (neuroselection). Finally, we examined possible mechanisms of neuroselection. RESULTS: Participants with better cardiorespiratory fitness had higher cognitive test scores at midlife. However, fitness-associated advantages in cognitive functioning were already present in childhood. After accounting for childhood baseline performance on the same cognitive tests, there was no association between cardiorespiratory fitness and midlife cognitive functioning. Socioeconomic and health advantages in childhood and healthier lifestyles during young adulthood explained most of the association between childhood cognitive functioning and adult cardiorespiratory fitness. INTERPRETATION: We found no evidence for a neuroprotective effect of cardiorespiratory fitness as of midlife. Instead, children with better cognitive functioning are selecting healthier lives. Fitness interventions may enhance cognitive functioning. However, observational and experimental studies testing neuroprotective effects of physical fitness should consider confounding by neuroselection.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25601795

1531-8249

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9709

eng

Wiley

Ann Neurol

10.1002/ana.24356

Adolescent

Adult

Child

Child, Preschool

Cognition

Cognition Disorders

Cohort Studies

Cross-Sectional Studies

Exercise Test

Female

Humans

Longitudinal Studies

Male

Oxygen Consumption

Physical Fitness

Risk Reduction Behavior

Young Adult

Cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in midlife: neuroprotection or neuroselection?

Journal article

Belsky, Daniel W|0000-0001-5463-2212

Caspi, Avshalom|0000-0003-0082-4600

Blumenthal, James A|0000-0003-3789-0935

Moffitt, Terrie E|0000-0002-8589-6760

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25601795

607

617

4

Center for Child and Family Policy

Center for Population Health & Aging

Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development

Clinical Science Departments

Duke

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

Duke Population Research Center

Duke Population Research Institute

Institutes and Centers

Institutes and Provost's Academic Units

Medicine

Medicine, Cardiology

Medicine, Geriatrics

Psychiatry, Child & Family Mental Health and Developmental Neuroscience

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine

Psychology and Neuroscience

Sanford School of Public Policy

Sanford School of Public Policy - Secondary Group

School of Medicine

Social Science Research Institute

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

University Institutes and Centers

Published

77