TY - JOUR

T1 - Aerobic exercise does not affect serum neurofilament light in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease

AU - Frederiksen, Kristian Steen

AU - Jensen, Camilla Steen

AU - Høgh, Peter

AU - Gergelyffy, Robert

AU - Waldemar, Gunhild

AU - Andersen, Birgitte Bo

AU - Gottrup, Hanne

AU - Vestergaard, Karsten

AU - Wermuth, Lene

AU - Søndergaard, Helle Bach

AU - Sellebjerg, Finn

AU - Hasselbalch, Steen Gregers

AU - Simonsen, Anja Hviid

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Frederiksen, Jensen, Høgh, Gergelyffy, Waldemar, Andersen, Gottrup, Vestergaard, Wermuth, Søndergaard, Sellebjerg, Hasselbalch and Simonsen.

PY - 2023/1/24

Y1 - 2023/1/24

N2 - Introduction: Aerobic exercise has been shown to modify Alzheimer pathology in animal models, and in patients with multiple sclerosis to reduce neurofilament light (NfL), a biomarker of neurodegeneration. Objective: To investigate whether a 16-week aerobic exercise program was able to reduce serum NfL in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from the multi-center Preserving Cognition, Quality of Life, Physical Health, and Functional Ability in Alzheimer’s disease: The Effect of Physical Exercise (ADEX) study. Participants were randomized to 16 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or usual care. Clinical assessment and measurement of serum NfL was done at baseline and after the intervention. Results: A total of 136 participants were included in the analysis. Groups were comparable at baseline except for APOEε4 carriership which was higher in the usual care group (75.3 versus 60.2%; p = 0.04). There was no effect of the intervention on serum NfL [intervention: baseline NfL (pg/mL) 25.76, change from baseline 0.87; usual care: baseline 27.09, change from baseline −1.16, p = 0.09]. Conclusion: The findings do not support an effect of the exercise intervention on a single measure of neurodegeneration in AD. Further studies are needed using other types and durations of exercise and other measures of neurodegeneration. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01681602.

AB - Introduction: Aerobic exercise has been shown to modify Alzheimer pathology in animal models, and in patients with multiple sclerosis to reduce neurofilament light (NfL), a biomarker of neurodegeneration. Objective: To investigate whether a 16-week aerobic exercise program was able to reduce serum NfL in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from the multi-center Preserving Cognition, Quality of Life, Physical Health, and Functional Ability in Alzheimer’s disease: The Effect of Physical Exercise (ADEX) study. Participants were randomized to 16 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or usual care. Clinical assessment and measurement of serum NfL was done at baseline and after the intervention. Results: A total of 136 participants were included in the analysis. Groups were comparable at baseline except for APOEε4 carriership which was higher in the usual care group (75.3 versus 60.2%; p = 0.04). There was no effect of the intervention on serum NfL [intervention: baseline NfL (pg/mL) 25.76, change from baseline 0.87; usual care: baseline 27.09, change from baseline −1.16, p = 0.09]. Conclusion: The findings do not support an effect of the exercise intervention on a single measure of neurodegeneration in AD. Further studies are needed using other types and durations of exercise and other measures of neurodegeneration. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01681602.

KW - Alzheimer’s disease

KW - dementia

KW - exercise

KW - intervention

KW - neurodegeneration

KW - neurofilament light

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147452489&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/fnins.2023.1108191

DO - 10.3389/fnins.2023.1108191

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36761410

AN - SCOPUS:85147452489

VL - 17

JO - Frontiers in Neuroscience

JF - Frontiers in Neuroscience

SN - 1662-4548

M1 - 1108191

ER -