Abstract
Although regular red wine (RW) consumption and physical exercise (PE) exert cardiovascular protection a possible aditive effect of both is unknown, especially regarding cognition.
To investigate the effects of supervised PE upon cognitive function in regular RW consumers compared to abstainers (Abs)
Cognitive function was assessed by functional Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Image (fMRI) through Stroop Color Word test (Stroop) for executive function and 2-back for working memory as well as neuropsychological tests (trails A, B and Stroop1). Seventy three healthy males, aged 59±5.9 (SD) years were divided into 4 groups: 37 Abs (17 with PE, 20 without) and 36 RW drinkers (17 with PE, 19 without) and then were randomized in the pre-PE phase, either to supervised PE for 3 months, 3x week/1h duration or no PE. Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CET) was performed before and after interventions. Plasma lipids and glucose also were measured.
Drinkers ingested 19.8±10.3 (SD) gr of ethanol/day as RW for an average of 26.1±15.7 years and did not change their habits during the study period. In pre-PE phase RW drinkers showed lower execution times than Abs in neurophsychological tests (trails A and B and Stroop1) and higher accuracy in the 2-back test in fMRI (p<0.05 for both). Furthermore, in post intervention phase, RW consumers with PE showed a trend towards improvement in executive function (Stroop: % accuracy 92.5±9.2 vs 95.6±5.0, p=0.05) and reduction in execution time (21.9±6 vs 19±3.4; p=0.049) as well as in neuropsychological Stroop-2 (p<0.05).In parallel there were no changes in activated cerebral áreas in either group after PE. However, there was a negative correlation between peak VO2 and activated brain areas by fMRI (Expert Analysis Tool based on the Generalized Linear Model; p<0.05) in both Abs and drinkers.
In contrast, there were no significant changes in any cognition test among abstainers regardless of PE; also there were no changes in metabolic profile. PE induced significant increments in peak VO2 in all PE groups (p<0.05).
fMRI BOLD sign during 2-back test
Physical exercise induced further improvement in executive function and working memory in long term RW drinkers, while no effects occurred in abstainers. Such effect was correlated with global fitness, as assessed by peak VO2.
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo; Banco Bradesco SA
