Effect of Combined Exercise Training on Physical and Cognitive Function in Women With Type 2 Diabetes

Nafiseh Ghodrati; Amir Hossein Haghighi; Seyed Alireza Hosseini Kakhak; Sadegh Abbasian; Gary S Goldfield

doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2022.11.005

Effect of Combined Exercise Training on Physical and Cognitive Function in Women With Type 2 Diabetes

Can J Diabetes. 2023 Mar;47(2):162-170. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2022.11.005. Epub 2022 Nov 17.

Authors

Nafiseh Ghodrati¹, Amir Hossein Haghighi², Seyed Alireza Hosseini Kakhak³, Sadegh Abbasian⁴, Gary S Goldfield⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran.
² Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran. Electronic address: ah.haghighi@hsu.ac.ir.
³ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran.
⁴ Department of Sport Sciences, Khavaran Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran.
⁵ Healthy Active Living & Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

PMID: 36572617
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2022.11.005

Abstract

Objectives: One of the consequences of old age is cognitive and physical decline, which can cause a wide range of problems. These complications are more pronounced in those with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of combined exercise training on blood biomarkers, physical fitness, and cognitive function in elderly women with T2D.

Methods: Twenty-one elderly women with T2D were randomly allocated to training (n=12) and control (n=9) groups. The exercise training program was a combination of aerobic, resistance, and balance exercises performed 3 times per week over 12 weeks. In the same period, the control group received no training intervention. Blood markers, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), irisin, glycated hemoglobin (A1C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), lower and upper body strength, and cognitive function, were measured in all participants at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Results: Serum BDNF levels were not significantly different between the exercise and control groups at 12 weeks (p>0.05). FBS and A1C levels in the exercise group decreased significantly compared with the control group (p<0.05). CRF, dynamic balance, and both upper and lower body strength in the exercise group improved significantly compared with the control group (p<0.05). Irisin levels decreased significantly in the control group, but levels did not change significantly in the exercise group. Greater improvements from exercise were observed on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment index compared with the control group (p=0.05), but no other group differences in cognitive function were noted.

Conclusions: Combined exercise improved some physical fitness and diabetes-related surrogate factors, as well as select cognitive functions, but had no significant effect on cognition-related biochemical factors (i.e. BDNF) in women with T2D.

Keywords: BDNF; cognitive function; diabetes; diabète; entraînement physique; exercise training; fonction cognitive; irisin; irisine.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Aged
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Cognition
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
Exercise
Female
Fibronectins
Glycated Hemoglobin
Humans
Physical Fitness
Pilot Projects
Resistance Training*

Substances

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Fibronectins
Glycated Hemoglobin