Physical exercises and biomarkers of cognitive frailty

• Grant number: 16/19667-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Márcia Regina Cominetti
• Grantee: Carla Manuela Crispim Nascimento
• Supervisor: Jose Viña Ribes
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universitat de València, Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/21066-2 - Gene expression of inflammatory cytokine and of microRNA as potential biomarkers of frailty in elderly inserted in a social vulnerability context., BP.PD

Abstract

The benefits of physical exercise to reduce physical frailty and improve cognitive function became a growing field of interest. Main characteristics of the frailty phenotype are related to physical function, however cognitive factor seem to contribute to this multidimensional syndrome. Thus, for describing the simultaneous presence of both physical frailty and cognitive impairment in older individuals, it has been established the concept of "Cognitive Frailty". High oxidative stress and low-grade chronic inflammation are common during aging and seems to be a bridge between frailty and neurodegenerative process. Regular physical exercises can help to reduce and to reverse physical frailty with potential positive reflexes demonstrated previously to improve cognitive functions. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that oxidative and inflammatory pathways are involved in this process. The main goal of this research is to analyze the effects of a 12-week physical exercise program on peripheral pro-inflammatory markers and antioxidant systems in elderly with cognitive frailty. Cognitive function will be assessing by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) prior to and after the intervention. Participants will be assigning to the control (CG) and trained (TG) groups. The TG will take part in a physical training program for a 12-week period. The results should show a beneficial contribution of training on the reduction of pro-inflammatory state and improvement of antioxidants markers peripheral concentrations. These biological markers will be associated to cognitive performance. We expect that physical exercises could become part of a cheap, feasible and non-pharmacological health strategy to prevent and on the treatment of physical and cognitive frailty. (AU)