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conferenceseries
.com
10
th
International Conference on
February 22-23, 2018 | Paris, France
Vascular Dementia
Volume 8
Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
ISSN: 2161-0460
Vascular Dementia 2018
February 22-23, 2018
Aerobic exercises enhance cognitive functions and brain derived neurotrophic factor after ischemic stroke
Foad Abd-Allah
Cairo University, Egypt
Background & Aim:
Brain derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) have a role in increasing the brain’s resistance to damage
and degeneration with aging and enhances long term memory and learning. The current study aims to demonstrate the role of
aerobic exercises enhancing cognitive functions and its effect on BDNF in post-ischemic stroke patients in territory of anterior
circulation.
Methods:
30 stroke patientswithdifferent degrees of cognitive impairmentmeasuredbyAddenbrooke'sCognitive Examination-
Revised (ACER) were divided into two equal groups of 15 patients each; group 1 (G1) (considered as the control group) were
treated by a designed standard physiotherapy program. This program was applied for 25-30 minute per session, three times per
week, day after day for successive eight weeks. Group 2 (G2) were treated by the same designed physiotherapy program for 25-
30 min. followed by a rest period for about 10-15 min, then aerobic exercise was done on a bicycle for 40-45 min, three times
per week for eight weeks. After eight weeks patients in both groups were subjected to reassessment of cognitive functions using
ACER. Levels of BDNF in venous blood sample were assessed before and after the eight weeks of physiotherapy.
Results:
Comparison of the ACER total score post-treatment in G1 and G2 showed a statistically significant difference with
increased values in the G2; 75.93±4.9 and 81.07±6.16 respectively (p=0.017). Pre- and post-treatment serum level of BDNF
did not show a significant difference in G1 (P=0.698) but in G2, there was a high statistical difference (P=0.0001). Pearson rank
correlation (r) between the post treatment changes in total score of ACER test and level of serum BDNF in G2 was 0.53. The
result indicated significant positive correlation between improvement in total score of ACER test and increase in serum BDNF
level in the study group (P=0.044).
Conclusion:
Aerobic exercises following an acute ischemic stroke in the territory of anterior circulation significantly improve
cognitive functions measured in this study by ACER. This improvement is accompanied by an elevation in the serum level of
BDNF.
J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0460-C1-037