Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Background: Subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment (SIVCI) is the most common form of vascular cognitive impairment. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) secondary to SIVCI often result in impaired executive function (e.g., set-shifting, working memory and selective attention). Cognitive reserve (CR) is a property of the brain that allows for better-than-expected cognitive performance given the degree of life-course-related brain changes and brain injury or disease. In a pilot study, we found that greater brain resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) within two key brain networks, the fronto-executive and the fronto-parietal networks, moderated the negative impact of WMH on executive function in older adults with SIVCI, suggesting that greater brain rs-FC within these networks may act as a protective mechanism. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests that resistance training, as a promising lifestyle intervention, has important benefits for maintaining cardiometabolic health, cognitive function and brain functional connectivity. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether resistance training could enhance rs-FC to moderate the negative effects of WMH on executive function in older adults with SIVCI. Methods: We conducted a 12-month randomized controlled trial of 88 community-dwelling older adults with SIVCI, aged 55 years and older. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 12 months of (1) twice-weekly progressive resistance training or (2) twice-weekly balance and tone training (active control). We employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure rs-FC in specific reserve-related brain networks. Between-group differences of rs-FC in reserve-related brain networks were calculated. Significance: The results can provide evidence-based recommendations for the best type of exercise intervention to improve the cognitive function and quality of life of older adults with SIVCI and shed light on the underlying neural basis.