The effect of exercise on the cerebral vasculature of healthy aged subjects as visualized by MR angiography.
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Prior studies suggest that aerobic exercise may reduce both the brain atrophy and the decline in fractional anisotropy observed with advancing age. It is reasonable to hypothesize that exercise-induced changes to the vasculature may underlie these anatomic differences. The purpose of this blinded study was to compare high-activity and low-activity healthy elderly volunteers for differences in the cerebrovasculature as calculated from vessels extracted from noninvasive MR angiograms (MRAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen healthy elderly subjects underwent MRA. Seven subjects reported a high level of aerobic activity (64 +/- 5 years of age; 5 men, 2 women) and 7, a low activity level (68 +/- 6 years of age; 5 women, 2 men). Following vessel segmentation from MRA by an individual blinded to subject activity level, quantitative measures of vessel number, radius, and tortuosity were calculated and histogram analysis of vessel number and radius was performed. RESULTS: Aerobically active subjects exhibited statistically significant reductions in vessel tortuosity and an increased number of small vessels compared with less active subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic activity in elderly subjects is associated with lower vessel tortuosity values and an increase in the number of small-caliber vessels. It is possible that an aerobic exercise program may contribute to healthy brain aging. MRA offers a noninvasive approach to visualizing the cerebral vasculature and may prove useful in future longitudinal investigations.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Aerobic exercise is specifically associated with an increase in the density of small, rather than large-diameter blood vessels in both humans and animals.
“Interestingly, AE is specifically associated with an increase the density of small, rather than large-diameter blood vessels in both humans (Bullitt et al., 2009) and animals (Bloor, 2005; Van der Borght et al., 2009).”
From Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment (2016) · cites this paper as Bullitt et al., 2009
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
An inventory for measuring depression
BECK, A. T. (1961) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1961.01710120031004 · Cited by 38,032 · see citing works
Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans
Colcombe, S. J., Erickson, K. I., Scalf, P. E., Kim, J. S., Prakash, R., McAuley, E., Elavsky, S., Marquez, D. X., Hu, L., & Kramer, A. F. (2006) · The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences · doi:10.1093/gerona/61.11.1166 · Cited by 2,134 · see citing works
Memory and Executive Function in Aging and AD
Buckner, R. L. (2004) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2004.09.006 · Cited by 1,508 · see citing works
Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies of Older Adults: A Shrinking Brain
Resnick, S. M., Pham, D. L., Kraut, M. A., Zonderman, A. B., & Davatzikos, C. (2003) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-08-03295.2003 · Cited by 1,425 · see citing works
Courchesne, E., Chisum, H. J., Townsend, J., Cowles, A., Covington, J., Egaas, B., Harwood, M., Hinds, S., & Press, G. A. (2000) · Radiology · doi:10.1148/radiology.216.3.r00au37672 · Cited by 1,049 · see citing works
The Technology of Accelerometry-Based Activity Monitors: Current and Future
CHEN, K. Y., & BASSETT, D. R. (2005) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000185571.49104.82 · Cited by 996 · see citing works
Diffusion tensor imaging and aging
Sullivan, E. V., & Pfefferbaum, A. (2006) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2006.06.002 · Cited by 649 · see citing works
Fernando, M. S., Simpson, J. E., Matthews, F., Brayne, C., Lewis, C. E., Barber, R., Kalaria, R. N., Forster, G., Esteves, F., Wharton, S. B., et al. (2006) · Stroke · doi:10.1161/01.str.0000221308.94473.14 · Cited by 587 · see citing works
Aylward, S., & Bullitt, E. (2002) · IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging · doi:10.1109/42.993126 · Cited by 583 · see citing works
Self-citationValidity of four motion sensors in measuring moderate intensity physical activity
Bassett, D. R. (2000) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1097/00005768-200009001-00006 · Cited by 527 · see citing works
Challenges and Opportunities for Measuring Physical Activity in Sedentary Adults
Tudor-Locke, C. E., & Myers, A. M. (2001) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.2165/00007256-200131020-00002 · Cited by 514 · see citing works
Measuring tortuosity of the intracerebral vasculature from MRA images
Bullitt, E., Gerig, G., Pizer, S. M., Lin, W., & Aylward, S. (2003) · IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging · doi:10.1109/tmi.2003.816964 · Cited by 419 · see citing works
Self-citationPhysical Activity and Inactivity in an Adult Population Assessed by Accelerometry
Hagströmer, M., Oja, P., & Sjöstróm, M. (2007) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3180a76de5 · Cited by 396 · see citing works
Madden, D. J., Whiting, W. L., Huettel, S. A., White, L. E., MacFall, J. R., & Provenzale, J. M. (2004) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2003.11.004 · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Baranowski, T. (1988) · Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport · doi:10.1080/02701367.1988.10609379 · Cited by 348 · see citing works
Kurtze, N., Rangul, V., Hustvedt, B., & Flanders, W. D. (2008) · Scandinavian Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1177/1403494807085373 · Cited by 330 · see citing works
Creasey, H. M., & Rapoport, S. I. (1985) · Annals of Neurology · doi:10.1002/ana.410170103 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Reliability and Validity of the Instrument Used in BRFSS to Assess Physical Activity
Yore, M. M., Ham, S. A., Ainsworth, B. E., Kruger, J., Reis, J. P., Kohl, H. W., & Macera, C. A. (2007) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3180618bbe · Cited by 243 · see citing works
Matsumae, M., Kikinis, R., Mórocz, I. Á., Lorenzo, A. V., Sándor, T., Albert, M., Black, P. M., & Jolesz, F. A. (1996) · Journal of neurosurgery · doi:10.3171/jns.1996.84.6.0982 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Cullen, K. M., Kócsi, Z., & Stone, J. (2006) · Neurobiology of Aging · doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.10.016 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
Leuko-Araiosis: An Ancient Term for a New Problem
Hachinski, V., Potter, P., & Merskey, H. (1986) · Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques · doi:10.1017/s0317167100037264 · Cited by 188 · see citing works
Differential cognitive impairment in alzheimer's disease and huntington's disease
Brandt, J., Folstein, S. E., & Folstein, M. F. (1988) · Annals of Neurology · doi:10.1002/ana.410230605 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
Brown, W. R., Moody, D. M., Thore, C. R., Challa, V. R., & Anstrom, J. A. (2007) · Journal of the Neurological Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.jns.2007.01.015 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Tortuosity of the White Matter Medullary Arterioles Is Related to the Severity of Hypertension
Hiroki, M., Miyashita, K., & Oda, M. (2002) · Cerebrovascular Diseases · doi:10.1159/000057850 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Role of Aerobic Fitness and Aging on Cerebral White Matter Integrity
Marks, B. L., Madden, D. J., Bucur, B., Provenzale, J. M., WHITE, L. E., Cabeza, R. E. L., & Huettel, S. A. (2007) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1196/annals.1379.022 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Self-citationBullitt, E., Zeng, D., Mortamet, B., Ghosh, A., Aylward, S., Lin, W., Marks, B. L., & Smith, J. K. (2008) · Neurobiology of Aging · doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2008.03.022 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Self-citationAge-related microvascular degeneration in the human cerebral periventricular white matter
Farkas, E., de Vos, R. A. I., Donka, G., Steur, E. N. H. J., Mihály, A., & Luiten, P. G. M. (2006) · Acta Neuropathologica · doi:10.1007/s00401-005-0007-y · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Accuracy of Recall of Occupational Physical Activity by Questionnaire
Ainsworth, B. E., Richardson, M. T., Jacobs, D. R., Leon, A. S., & Sternfeld, B. (1999) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/s0895-4356(98)00158-9 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Uspenskaya, O., Martin Liebetrau, A., Herms, J. W., Danek, A., & Hamann, G. F. (2004) · BMC Neuroscience · doi:10.1186/1471-2202-5-37 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Human medial temporal lobe in aging: Anatomical basis of memory preservation
Insausti, R., Insausti, A. M., Sobreviela, M. T., Salinas, A., & Martínez-Peñuela, J. M. (1998) · Microscopy Research and Technique · doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0029(19981001)43:1 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Arteriolar Tortuosity of the White Matter in Aging and Hypertension. A Microradiographic Study
Spangler, K. M., CHALLA, V. R., Moody, D. M., & Bell, M. A. (1994) · Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology · doi:10.1097/00005072-199401000-00003 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Webster's New World Dictionary
Neufeldt, V., & Sparks, A. N. (1972) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Analyzing attributes of vessel populations
BULLITT, E., MULLER, K., Jung, I., et al. (2004) · Medical Image Analysis · doi:10.1016/j.media.2004.06.024 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Self-citationBullitt, E., Aylward, S., Smith, J. K., et al. (2001) · Medical Image Analysis · doi:10.1016/s1361-8415(01)00037-8 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Self-citationBevan, R. G. (1980) · Omega · doi:10.1016/0305-0483(80)90059-6 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Bullitt, E., Lin, N. U., Smith, J. K., et al. (2007) · Radiology · doi:10.1148/radiol.2453061889 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Self-citationImpact of Aerobic Fitness on Cerebral White Matter Integrity in the Cingulum.
Marks, B. L., Katz, L. M., Styner, M. A., et al. (2008) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000323623.14074.b6 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Matsumae M, Kikinis R, Mo ´rocz, et al. Age related changes in intracranial compartment volumes in normal adults assessed by MRI. J Neurosurg 1996;84:982-91
- Peinado MA. Histology and histochemistry of the aging cerebral cortex: an overview. Microsc Res Tech 1998;43:1-7
- American College of Sports Medicine, ed. ACSM Exercise Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Training. New York: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2006:3-129
- Bullitt E, Lin NU, Smith JK, et al. Blood vessel morphological changes as visu- alized by MRA during treatment of brain metastases. Radiology 2007;245: 824 -30
- Marks BL, Katz LM, Nunley DC, et al. Cerebral blood flow and cognitive func- tion is maintained in aerobically active older adults. Circulation 2000;102(18): 4198 Suppl Oct 31 2000
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Bridging animal and human models of exercise-induced brain plasticity
Voss, M. W., Vivar, C., Kramer, A. F., & van Praag, H. (2013) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2013.08.001 · Cited by 1,030 · see citing works
Beneficial effects of physical exercise on neuroplasticity and cognition
Hötting, K., & Röder, B. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.005 · Cited by 991 · see citing works
Physical exercise, neuroplasticity, spatial learning and memory
Cassilhas, R. C., Tufik, S., & de Mello, M. T. (2016) · Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences · doi:10.1007/s00018-015-2102-0 · Cited by 340 · see citing works
The effects of aerobic activity on brain structure.
Thomas, A. G., Dennis, A., Bandettini, P. A., & Johansen-Berg, H. (2012) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00086 · Cited by 303 · see citing works
Physical Activity, Brain Volume, and Dementia Risk: The Framingham Study
Tan, Z. S., Spartano, N. L., Beiser, A. S., DeCarli, C., Auerbach, S. H., Vasan, R. S., & Seshadri, S. (2016) · The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences · doi:10.1093/gerona/glw130 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Voss, M. W., Carr, L. J., Clark, R., & Weng, T. (2014) · Mental health and physical activity · doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2014.01.001 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Burzynska, A. Z., Chaddock-Heyman, L., Voss, M. W., Wong, C. N., Gothe, N. P., Olson, E. A., Knecht, A., Lewis, A., Monti, J. M., Cooke, G. E., et al. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0107413 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Kandola, A., Hendrikse, J., Lucassen, P. J., & Yücel, M. (2016) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2016.00373 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
“Interestingly, AE is specifically associated with an increase the density of small, rather than large-diameter blood vessels in both humans (Bullitt et al., 2009) and animals (Bloor, 2005; Van der Borght et al., 2009).”
Burzynska, A. Z., Jiao, Y., Knecht, A. M., Fanning, J., Awick, E. A., Chen, T., Gothe, N., Voss, M. W., McAuley, E., & Kramer, A. F. (2017) · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00059 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
Beyond vascularization: aerobic fitness is associated with N-acetylaspartate and working memory.
Erickson, K. I., Weinstein, A. M., Sutton, B. P., Prakash, R. S., Voss, M. W., Chaddock, L., Szabo, A. N., Mailey, E. L., White, S. M., Wojcicki, T. R., et al. (2012) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.30 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Kleemeyer, M. M., Kühn, S., Prindle, J., Bodammer, N. C., Brechtel, L., Garthe, A., Kempermann, G., Schaefer, S., & Lindenberger, U. (2016) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.11.026 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
At least eighty percent of brain grey matter is modifiable by physical activity: A review study
Batouli, S. A. H., & Saba, V. (2017) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.002 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Cudmore, R. H., Dougherty, S. E., & Linden, D. J. (2017) · Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism · doi:10.1177/0271678x16682508 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
A Healthy Brain in a Healthy Body: Brain Network Correlates of Physical and Mental Fitness
Douw, L., Nieboer, D., van Dijk, B. W., Stam, C. J., & Twisk, J. W. R. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088202 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bullitt, E., Rahman, F. N., Smith, J. K., Kim, E., Zeng, D., Katz, L. M., & Marks, B. L.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Venue
- American Journal of Neuroradiology
- Published
- 2009-07-09
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1857-1863
- ISSN
- 0195-6108 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-959X
- PMC
- PMC7051270
- OpenAlex
- W2036258799
- Cited by
- 142
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 5.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- American Journal of Neuroradiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01EB000219)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Cerebrovascular and genetic disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- aerobic exercise, cerebral vasculature, healthy aging, vessel tortuosity, small vessels, vessel number, vessel radius, magnetic resonance angiography, brain aging, physical activity
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Atrophy, Brain, Cerebral Angiography, Cerebral Arteries, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Female, Humans, Male, Microcirculation, Middle Aged, Exercise, Magnetic Resonance Angiography
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
