Imagine your brain is like a garden, and physical activity is the fertilizer that helps keep it healthy and flourishing. In this study, scientists wanted to understand how physical activity relates to markers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in older adults. They invited 143 cognitively normal older adults to participate and measured their physical activity levels using a questionnaire. Using advanced imaging techniques, they also looked for amyloid deposition in the participants’ brains – a hallmark of AD. They discovered that higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower levels of amyloid in the blood, suggesting a potential protective effect of exercise against AD. However, they didn’t find a direct link between physical activity and amyloid in the brain. They also noticed that certain blood markers were different in individuals who carried a genetic variant associated with AD risk. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between physical activity and AD markers, while also emphasizing the need for further research to fully understand how these puzzle pieces fit together. So get up, get moving, and let’s uncover more about how exercise can keep our brains happy and healthy!

Previous studies have indicated that physical activity may be beneficial in reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between habitual physical activity levels and brain amyloid deposition and AD-related blood biomarkers (i.e., measured using a novel high-performance mass spectrometry-based assay), in apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers and noncarriers. We evaluated 143 cognitively normal older adults, all of whom had brain amyloid deposition assessed using positron emission tomography and had their physical activity levels measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). We observed an inverse correlation between brain amyloidosis and plasma beta-amyloid (Aβ)1−42 but found no association between brain amyloid and plasma Aβ1−40 and amyloid precursor protein (APP)669−711. Additionally, higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower plasma Aβ1−40, Aβ1−42, and APP669−711 levels in APOE ε4 noncarriers. The ratios of Aβ1−40/Aβ1−42 and APP669−711/Aβ1−42, which have been associated with higher brain amyloidosis in previous studies, differed between APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers. Taken together, these data indicate a complex relationship between physical activity and brain amyloid deposition and potential blood-based AD biomarkers in cognitively normal older adults. In addition, the role of APOE ε4 is still unclear, and more studies are necessary to bring further clarification.

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