Can exercise training teach us how to treat Alzheimer's disease?

Aleksi M Huuha; Cecilie S Norevik; José Bianco N Moreira; Asgeir Kobro-Flatmoen; Nathan Scrimgeour; Miia Kivipelto; Henriette Van Praag; Maryam Ziaei; Sigrid Botne Sando; Ulrik Wisløff; Atefe R Tari

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2022.101559

Can exercise training teach us how to treat Alzheimer's disease?

Ageing Res Rev. 2022 Mar:75:101559. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101559. Epub 2022 Jan 6.

Affiliations

¹ Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
² Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
³ Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, and Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Alzheimer's Disease, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Karolinska Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska University Hospital, Theme Aging and Inflammation, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁵ Brain Institute and Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States.
⁶ Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, and Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
⁷ Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁸ Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG), Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: atefe.r.tari@ntnu.no.

PMID: 34999248
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101559

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and there is currently no cure. Novel approaches to treat AD and curb the rapidly increasing worldwide prevalence and costs of dementia are needed. Physical inactivity is a significant modifiable risk factor for AD, estimated to contribute to 12.7% of AD cases worldwide. Exercise interventions in humans and animals have shown beneficial effects of exercise on brain plasticity and cognitive functions. In animal studies, exercise also improved AD pathology. The mechanisms underlying these effects of exercise seem to be associated mainly with exercise performance or cardiorespiratory fitness. In addition, exercise-induced molecules of peripheral origin seem to play an important role. Since exercise affects the whole body, there likely is no single therapeutic target that could mimic all the benefits of exercise. However, systemic strategies may be a viable means to convey broad therapeutic effects in AD patients. Here, we review the potential of physical activity and exercise training in AD prevention and treatment, shining light on recently discovered underlying mechanisms and concluding with a view on future development of exercise-free treatment strategies for AD.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease* / prevention & control
Animals
Cognition
Exercise / psychology
Humans
Neuronal Plasticity
Risk Factors