PROJECT
The Preventia study
Does manipulation of arterial shear stress enhance cerebrovascular function and cognition in the ageing brain?
The Preventia study will compare six months of land-based walking to the same period of water-based walking, and also to a control group. The effects on the health and function of arteries in the brain will be examined to investigate whether one type of exercise is more effective in improving memory and cognition.
We were the first group to observe that exercise training induces beneficial effects on endothelial function in arteries distant from the working muscle.
We also observed that different shear forces are associated with different acute impacts on endothelial function, which may in turn explain differences in the impact of distinct forms of exercise training on arterial adaptation in humans. Much of this work has been facilitated by our invention of new technical approaches which will be used in the Preventia study.
We plan to recruit 150 healthy, insufficiently active individuals, aged 50 years and older, with subjective memory complaints will be recruited from the community. Participants will be randomised to either a land-based, water-based or non-exercise training group.
The exercise groups will attend centre-based exercise sessions three times a week for six months.
The control group will maintain their usual lifestyle and attend 4 one-hour centre-based healthy ageing education sessions over the six months.
All groups will have a further six-month non-intervention period.
Participants will undertake assessments of brain blood flow; peripheral vascular function; cognition; blood pressure; cardiovascular fitness; physical activity; blood lipids; glucose; insulin, BDNF, inflammatory markers; platelet function; body composition; mood and wellbeing at baseline, six and 12 months.
Brain blood flow and vascular measures will also be measured at three months.
Given that pharmacological approaches to prevention of cognitive decline are relatively ineffective, this project is highly clinically relevant and has great potential to address the future impact of this common, debilitating and expensive disease.
For more background information, see the suggested readings below.
- Suggested readings
- More information
Research team leader: Professor Daniel John Green
I am a human integrative biologist whose research focuses on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. My specific expertise relates to novel imaging approaches to the assessment of micro and macrovascular diseases, including surrogate measures of early and occult disease.
How to apply
Interested in becoming part of this project? Complete the following steps to submit your expression of interest:
Step 1 - Check criteria
General UWA PhD entrance requirements can be found on the Future Students website.
Requirements specific to this project include:
- A postgraduate degree with a background in exercise physiology.
Step 2 - Submit enquiry to research team leader
Step 3 - Lodge application
After you have discussed your project with the research team leader, you should be in a position to proceed to the next step of the UWA application process: Lodge an application. Different application procedures apply to domestic and international students.
Scholarships
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