Whole-body Vibration Exercise and Training Increase Regional CBF in Mild Cognitive Impairment with Enhanced Cognitive Function

Objectives: Preclinical and non-medicinal interventions are essential for preventing and treating cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise is conducted on a platform that generates vertical sinusoidal vibrations, and WBV training may improve regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and cognitive function, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether WBV exercise and a 24-week WBV training protocol increased rCBF and enhanced cognitive function in patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI).

Methods: [Tc]-ECD and SPECT studies were performed on 16 aMCI patients at baseline, during WBV exercise, and on 6 of the 16 patients after 24-week WBV training. To diagnose SPECT images and select the patients, a Z-score mapping approach was used, which revealed pathological hypoperfusion in the parietal association cortex, precuneus and/or posterior cingulate gyrus for MCI at baseline. rCBF was semi-quantitatively measured and underestimation in the high flow range was corrected. Since it is difficult to quantitatively measure rCBF during WBV exercise, the rCBF was obtained by standardizing with the average of individual mean SPECT counts with correcting underestimation in the high flow range. The rCBF at baseline and after WBV training were also obtained in a similar manner. Since the changes in rCBF were regarded as corresponding to the changes in rCBF, the ratios were compared. Cognitive function was also evaluated and compared.

Results: We found that the rCBF changed with an average range of 11.5% during WBV exercise, and similar changes were observed after 24-week WBV training with a 13.0% change, resulting in improved cognitive function (MoCA-J, P = 0.028). The rCBF increased in the parietal association cortex and occipital lobes, including the precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus, at which hypoperfusion was detected at baseline, but decreased in the frontal lobe and anterior cingulate gyrus. The rCBF increased on the right side of several motion-suppressive nuclei by WBV exercise; the bilateral red nuclei and right medial globus pallidus by WBV training.

Conclusion: WBV exercise and training increase rCBF in aMCI patients, and WBV training enhances cognitive function and may increase the cognitive reserve. Further investigation is necessary.