Brain Blood Flow Responses During Exercise

NCT05864950 | Active Not Recruiting

• 5 other identifiers: 2022-05121RF1NS117746-01Protocol Version 3/22/2023A176000UWF
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Brain blood flow will be measured during exercise using magnetic resonance imaging.

Conditions

Cerebrovascular Circulation; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Keywords

Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Exercise; Brain Blood Flow

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Cerebral Hemodynamics

  The change in cross-sectional area of the cerebral arteries during exercise will be measured with MRI.

  One study visit, up to 120 minutes

• Cerebral Blood Flow

  The change in intracranial blood flow during exercise will be measured with MRI.

  One study visit, up to 120 minutes

Study Arms (1)

Middle-Aged Adults

EXPERIMENTAL

Middle-Aged Adults between 55-69 years of age.

Device: MRI

Interventions

MRI DEVICE

Participants will undergo an MRI scan while performing exercise at two intensities (light and moderate/vigorous) using an MRI-compatible stepper device.

Middle-Aged Adults

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 55 Years - 69 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy men or women between the ages of 55-69 years
• Demonstrate an exercise history of engaging in aerobic physical activity at least 3 times per week for a minimum of 30 continuous minutes
• Have experience using cardiovascular exercise equipment (e.g., treadmill, elliptical, upright or recumbent bicycle, stair-stepper)

You may not qualify if:

• Outside of specified age range
• Do not have experience using cardiovascular exercise equipment
• Do not meet the physical activity criteria
• Present with a history or evidence of hepatic, renal, hematological disease, cardiovascular disease including uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, stroke/neurovascular disease, and diabetes
• have a body mass index ≥35 kg/m2
• are ≥ 71 inches (180 cm) in height
• have any contraindications to MRI
• currently use or have a history of use of tobacco or illegal substances
• have current and/or a history of depression or other mood related disorders (those with mild depression and/or anxiety that is controlled with medication and/or therapy will not be excluded)
• vulnerable populations (e.g., pregnant women, prisoners, individuals lacking capacity to consent)
• if the desired moderate/vigorous exercise intensity corresponds to \> 350 watts on the stepper device

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison: lead
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States

Location

Related Publications (23)

• Matthews KA, Xu W, Gaglioti AH, Holt JB, Croft JB, Mack D, McGuire LC. Racial and ethnic estimates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in the United States (2015-2060) in adults aged >/=65 years. Alzheimers Dement. 2019 Jan;15(1):17-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.06.3063. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

  PMID: 30243772 BACKGROUND

• Barnes JN, Corkery AT. Exercise Improves Vascular Function, but does this Translate to the Brain? Brain Plast. 2018 Dec 12;4(1):65-79. doi: 10.3233/BPL-180075.

  PMID: 30564547 BACKGROUND

• Mitchell GF. Effects of central arterial aging on the structure and function of the peripheral vasculature: implications for end-organ damage. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Nov;105(5):1652-60. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.90549.2008. Epub 2008 Sep 4.

  PMID: 18772322 BACKGROUND

• Silvestrini M, Pasqualetti P, Baruffaldi R, Bartolini M, Handouk Y, Matteis M, Moffa F, Provinciali L, Vernieri F. Cerebrovascular reactivity and cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer disease. Stroke. 2006 Apr;37(4):1010-5. doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000206439.62025.97. Epub 2006 Feb 23.

  PMID: 16497984 BACKGROUND

• Vicenzini E, Ricciardi MC, Altieri M, Puccinelli F, Bonaffini N, Di Piero V, Lenzi GL. Cerebrovascular reactivity in degenerative and vascular dementia: a transcranial Doppler study. Eur Neurol. 2007;58(2):84-9. doi: 10.1159/000103642. Epub 2007 Jun 12.

  PMID: 17565221 BACKGROUND

• Rubanyi GM, Romero JC, Vanhoutte PM. Flow-induced release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. Am J Physiol. 1986 Jun;250(6 Pt 2):H1145-9. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1986.250.6.H1145.

  PMID: 3487253 BACKGROUND

• Harvey PJ, Picton PE, Su WS, Morris BL, Notarius CF, Floras JS. Exercise as an alternative to oral estrogen for amelioration of endothelial dysfunction in postmenopausal women. Am Heart J. 2005 Feb;149(2):291-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2004.08.036.

  PMID: 15846267 BACKGROUND

• Black MA, Cable NT, Thijssen DH, Green DJ. Impact of age, sex, and exercise on brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2009 Sep;297(3):H1109-16. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00226.2009. Epub 2009 Jul 24.

  PMID: 19633208 BACKGROUND

• Duckles SP, Miller VM. Hormonal modulation of endothelial NO production. Pflugers Arch. 2010 May;459(6):841-51. doi: 10.1007/s00424-010-0797-1. Epub 2010 Mar 7.

  PMID: 20213497 BACKGROUND

• Moreau KL, Stauffer BL, Kohrt WM, Seals DR. Essential role of estrogen for improvements in vascular endothelial function with endurance exercise in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Nov;98(11):4507-15. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-2183. Epub 2013 Oct 3.

  PMID: 24092827 BACKGROUND

• Miller KB, Howery AJ, Rivera-Rivera LA, Johnson SC, Rowley HA, Wieben O, Barnes JN. Age-Related Reductions in Cerebrovascular Reactivity Using 4D Flow MRI. Front Aging Neurosci. 2019 Oct 17;11:281. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00281. eCollection 2019.

  PMID: 31680935 BACKGROUND

• Ogoh S, Ainslie PN. Cerebral blood flow during exercise: mechanisms of regulation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009 Nov;107(5):1370-80. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00573.2009. Epub 2009 Sep 3.

  PMID: 19729591 BACKGROUND

• Soucy KG, Ryoo S, Benjo A, Lim HK, Gupta G, Sohi JS, Elser J, Aon MA, Nyhan D, Shoukas AA, Berkowitz DE. Impaired shear stress-induced nitric oxide production through decreased NOS phosphorylation contributes to age-related vascular stiffness. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2006 Dec;101(6):1751-9. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00138.2006.

  PMID: 17106067 BACKGROUND

• Smith KJ, Ainslie PN. Regulation of cerebral blood flow and metabolism during exercise. Exp Physiol. 2017 Nov 1;102(11):1356-1371. doi: 10.1113/EP086249. Epub 2017 Sep 30.

  PMID: 28786150 BACKGROUND

• Smith KJ, Wong LE, Eves ND, Koelwyn GJ, Smirl JD, Willie CK, Ainslie PN. Regional cerebral blood flow distribution during exercise: influence of oxygen. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2012 Oct 15;184(1):97-105. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2012.07.014. Epub 2012 Aug 16.

  PMID: 22926137 BACKGROUND

• Ogoh S, Tsukamoto H, Hirasawa A, Hasegawa H, Hirose N, Hashimoto T. The effect of changes in cerebral blood flow on cognitive function during exercise. Physiol Rep. 2014 Sep 28;2(9):e12163. doi: 10.14814/phy2.12163. Print 2014 Sep 1.

  PMID: 25263210 BACKGROUND

• Caldwell HG, Coombs GB, Howe CA, Hoiland RL, Patrician A, Lucas SJE, Ainslie PN. Evidence for temperature-mediated regional increases in cerebral blood flow during exercise. J Physiol. 2020 Apr;598(8):1459-1473. doi: 10.1113/JP278827. Epub 2020 Feb 6.

  PMID: 31912506 BACKGROUND

• Macdonald JA, Beshish AG, Corrado PA, Barton GP, Goss KN, Eldridge MW, Francois CJ, Wieben O. Feasibility of Cardiovascular Four-dimensional Flow MRI during Exercise in Healthy Participants. Radiol Cardiothorac Imaging. 2020 Jun 18;2(3):e190033. doi: 10.1148/ryct.2020190033.

  PMID: 32734274 BACKGROUND

• Macdonald JA, Roberts GS, Corrado PA, Beshish AG, Haraldsdottir K, Barton GP, Goss KN, Eldridge MW, Francois CJ, Wieben O. Exercise-induced irregular right heart flow dynamics in adolescents and young adults born preterm. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2021 Oct 21;23(1):116. doi: 10.1186/s12968-021-00816-2.

  PMID: 34670573 BACKGROUND

• Miller KB, Gallo SJ, Rivera-Rivera LA, Corkery AT, Howery AJ, Johnson SC, Rowley HA, Wieben O, Barnes JN. Vertebral artery hypoplasia influences age-related differences in blood flow of the large intracranial arteries. Aging Brain. 2021 Jun 24;1:100019. doi: 10.1016/j.nbas.2021.100019. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 36911510 BACKGROUND

• Barnes JN. Exercise, cognitive function, and aging. Adv Physiol Educ. 2015 Jun;39(2):55-62. doi: 10.1152/advan.00101.2014.

  PMID: 26031719 BACKGROUND

• Ferretti MT, Iulita MF, Cavedo E, Chiesa PA, Schumacher Dimech A, Santuccione Chadha A, Baracchi F, Girouard H, Misoch S, Giacobini E, Depypere H, Hampel H; Women's Brain Project and the Alzheimer Precision Medicine Initiative. Sex differences in Alzheimer disease - the gateway to precision medicine. Nat Rev Neurol. 2018 Aug;14(8):457-469. doi: 10.1038/s41582-018-0032-9.

  PMID: 29985474 BACKGROUND

• Beam CR, Kaneshiro C, Jang JY, Reynolds CA, Pedersen NL, Gatz M. Differences Between Women and Men in Incidence Rates of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;64(4):1077-1083. doi: 10.3233/JAD-180141.

  PMID: 30010124 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Jill N Barnes, PhD

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 8, 2023
• First Posted: May 18, 2023
• Study Start: March 6, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)