Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Nov 2023)

Examining the efficacy of a cardio-dance intervention on brain health and the moderating role of ABCA7 in older African Americans: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial

  • Mark A. Gluck,
  • Joshua L. Gills,
  • Bernadette A. Fausto,
  • Steven K. Malin,
  • Paul R. Duberstein,
  • Kirk I. Erickson,
  • Liangyuan Hu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1266423
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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IntroductionAfrican Americans are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared to White Americans. Exercise is a lifestyle behavior associated with neuroprotection and decreased AD risk, although most African Americans, especially older adults, perform less than the recommended 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise. This article describes the protocol for a Phase III randomized controlled trial that will examine the effects of cardio-dance aerobic exercise on novel AD cognitive and neural markers of hippocampal-dependent function (Aims #1 and #2) and whether exercise-induced neuroprotective benefits may be modulated by an AD genetic risk factor, ABCA7 rs3764650 (Aim #3). We will also explore the effects of exercise on blood-based biomarkers for AD.Methods and analysisThis 6-month trial will include 280 African Americans (≥ 60 years), who will be randomly assigned to 3 days/week of either: (1) a moderate-to-vigorous cardio-dance fitness condition or (2) a low-intensity strength, flexibility, and balance condition for 60 min/session. Participants will complete health and behavioral surveys, neuropsychological testing, saliva and venipuncture, aerobic fitness, anthropometrics and resting-state structural and functional neuroimaging at study entry and 6 months.DiscussionResults from this investigation will inform future exercise trials and the development of prescribed interventions that aim to reduce the risk of AD in African Americans.

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