Effects of exercise on the cognition of older women treated with lovastatin

• Published in: Biomédica
• Main Authors: Edgardo Molina-Sotomayor, Rocío Arreguín-Moreno, Fernando Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Francisco Pradas, Juan Antonio León, José Antonio González-Jurado
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Salud 2018
• Subjects: Exercise; cognition; dyslipidemia; hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors; mental health; aging; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v38i4.4262; https://doaj.org/article/548917a46e3142828765282ebd545d6b

Introduction: The deterioration of cognition is highly predominant in older adults. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a walking program on the cognition and blood concentration of lipids in women over 60 years of age who were being treated with lovastatin. Materials and methods: Participants were distributed in two groups: An exercise group (EG, n=45) with aerobic training and an inactive sedentary group (SG, n=22). The cognitive state of the subjects was assessed through the Spanish Mini-Cog Test version of the MMSE; lipoproteins were quantified using a lipid profile test, and the cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the six-minute walking test (6MWT). Results: EG showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in cardiorespiratory fitness and in HDL-C concentrations. Furthermore, the results from the cognition tests showed a large effect size in spatial orientation and in and calculation. The decrease in LDL-C was not significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: A controlled and progressive walking program for older women treated with Lovastatin may induce a boost of brain activity linked to HDL-C, which could delay cognitive impairment.