Objective: To investigate the effects of a 12-week resistance exercise program with an elastic band on electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns and cognitive function in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Community center. Participants: Twenty-two subjects with MCI and 25 healthy volunteer subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: subjects with MCI who undertook the exercise program (MCI-EX; n = 10), an MCI control group (MCI-Con; n = 12), a healthy volunteer exercise group (NG-EX; n = 12), and a healthy volunteer control group (NG-Con; n = 13). Intervention: The exercise group engaged in a 15-repetition maximum (15RM; 65% of 1RM) resistance exercise program for 12 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Electroencephalograms, neuropsychological tests, and Senior Fitness Test. Results: The 12-week 15RM (65% of 1RM) resistance exercise program significantly improved variables related to the physical fitness of the elderly subjects. Furthermore, for the EEG test, the MCI and NG groups showed significant differences at baseline in relative beta waves on electrodes Fp1 (P < 0.05) and F3 (P < 0.05), as well as in relative beta2 waves on F3 (P < 0.05). In addition, after the 12-week exercise intervention, differences in a region that benefits from exercise were observed between (1) the MCI-EX group in the relative theta power on F3 (P < 0.05) and the relative alpha power on T3 (P < 0.05) and in (2) the NG-EX group in the relative theta power on P3 (P < 0.05) and P4 (P < 0.01). In addition, only the score of the digit span backward in the MCI-EX group changed significantly (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The 12-week resistance exercise with an elastic band had a positive effect on EEG patterns in elderly subjects with MCI, along with providing physical benefits and slight changes in cognitive function in MCI-EX group. Significance: A 15RM resistance exercise program can be an effective treatment for delaying cognitive decline and improving physical fitness.

The main purpose of this study is to suggest directions of operating exercise programs for elderly at local senior welfare centers as well as the methods to improve their qualities by analyzing the programs themselves and their participants. We analyzed subjects (n=108) who had taken parts in 17 exercise programs out of 68 social education programs for approximately four months. Participating in these programs at the center resulted in somewhat positive outcomes in the elderly, but these programs did not provide sufficient levels of intensity nor plentiful types of exercises to overcome negative effects of aging. Based on this result with the information provided, we drew a conclusion that it is recommended to have resistance and aerobic exercises in equal portions when establishing these exercise programs. In addition, we recommend that systematic consultations and managements of exercise programs be provided to individuals based on their results from the preliminary examinations performed with scientific methods. Moreover, given limitations in spaces, it is needed for instructors to have assistants or to use visual aids to enhance efficiency of their classes, while providing frequent feedbacks on the level of intensity that is appropriate for each individual and additional information regarding their proper dietary plans.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of 12-week treadmill exercise on the expression of SPARC in muscle, blood and tumor tissue, which use examine whether exercise mediates independent protective effect against colon cancer. Thirty ICR mice were randomly divided into two groups: exercise group (EX, n=15), control group (CON, n=15). At 6-wk of old, all mice were induced colon cancer by AOM/DSS method. Mice of EX at 18-wk of old, forced to exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days per week, during 12 weeks. The expression of SPARC in muscle, blood, colon polyp was analyzed using the ELISA kit. In results, the 12-week treadmill exercise significantly reduced polyp generation compared to the control group. Also, the expression of SPARC in EX was significantly higher than CON in muscle and polyp, but not in blood. SPARC roles as tumor suppressor in cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. In conclusions, the results of this study possibly suggest that a 12-week exercise may have therapeutic effects on colon cancer induced mice.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of combined exercise program on body composition, health-related fitness and blood lipids of elderly women for one year. Thirty-three women were recruited in this study, participants were randomly divided into two groups; CG(Control Group, n=12), CEG(Combined Exercise Group, n=21). The combined exercise program was consisted of walking/line dance and resistance exercise with thera-band, CEG performed the program for one hour for a day, two times per week during 12 months. All participants were measured body composition, health-related fitness and HDL-C, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol at pre, during and post exercise. In results, grip strength, muscle endurance and flexibility was significantly improved in CEG compared with CG(p＜.01). For blood lipids, TC was significantly decreased, however there were no significant differences in TG, HDL-C, and FBG. In conclusions, there were positive responses for TC and health related fitness after a long-term participation of combined exercise in elderly women.

Progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra is a key pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treadmill exercise on short-term memory, apoptotic dopaminergic neuronal cell death and fiber loss in the nigrostriatum, and cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of Parkinson's rats. Parkinson's rats were made by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the striatum using stereotaxic instrument. Four weeks after 6-OHDA injection, the rats in the 6-OHDA-injection group exhibited significant rotational asymmetry following apomorphine challenge. The rats in the exercise groups were put on the treadmill to run for 30 min once a day for 14 consecutive days starting 4 weeks after 6-OHDA injection. In the present results, extensive degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra with loss of dopaminergic fibers in the striatum were produced in the rats without treadmill running, which resulted in short-term memory impairment. However, the rats performing treadmill running for 2 weeks alleviated nigrostriatal dopaminergic cell loss and alleviated short-term memory impairment with increasing cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of Parkinson's rats. The present results show that treadmill exercise may provide therapeutic value for the Parkinson's disease.

Objective. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week program of therapeutic Tai Chi on the motor function and physical function of idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients (PDs). Methods. The participants were 22 clinically stable PDs in Hoehn-Yahr stages 1-2 randomly assigned to a therapeutic Tai Chi group (TTC, N = 11) or a control group (CON, N = 9). Two subjects in control group did not complete the study for personal reasons. TTC was performed three days a week (60 min/session). Motor symptoms by the UPDRS were assessed, and tests of physical function were administered before and after the 12-week trial. Results. The TTC group, as compared to the CON group, showed changes in the mentation, behavior, mood, and motor scales of the UPDRS (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, resp.), with no significant main effects on the activities of daily living scale (ADL). However, there was a significant interaction between the time and intervention group on ADL (P < 0.05). There were no significant main effects for any of the physical function variables. There were significant interaction effects in balance and agility (P < 0.05, resp.). Conclusions. This study showed that TTC training had modest positive effects on the functional status of Parkinson's disease patients.

[서론] 본 연구는 기공 체조가 비만 중년여성의 건강관련체력요소에 미치는 변화를 살펴봄으로써, 비만 중년여성의 올바른 운동처방에 기초적 자료를 제공하고 더 나아가 성인병의 원인이 되는 여러 질환을 예방하는데 그 목적이 있었다. [방법] 연구의 대상은 비만 중년 여성으로 하였으며, 운동 프로그램에 참여하는 운동군 8명과 규칙적인 운동을 하지 않는 통제군 7명으로 구성되었다. 측정 항목으로는 신체조성과 건강관련 체력을 측정하였다. 운동 프로그램은 기공체조를 주 2회 12주간 실시하였다. [결과] 운동군과 통제군의 모든 신체조성 항목에서 측정시기와 그룹간의 상호작용 효과는 나타나지 않았다(p>.05). 그러나 하체 근력(p=.013), 좌전굴(p=.027)이 운동군에서 유의하게 증가하였다(p<.05). [결론] 지속적이고 규칙적인 기공체조를 위주로 구성된 복합 운동 프로그램이 노화현상으로 두드러질 수 있는 근력 감소와 관절가동범위의 감소를 개선시키는 데 효과적이었으며, 이로 인해 중년여성의 건강체력에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다.

BackgroundAlthough bupivacaine has been used to study muscle degeneration and regeneration, the potential enhancement of muscle injury by exercise has not been well examined. The purpose of this study was to determine whether low-intensity treadmill exercise enhances fast recovery from bupivacaine-induced muscle injury and to examine concomitant changes in heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression during regeneration process.MethodsIn this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: the control group (CON), the sham group (SHAM), the injury group (INJ), and the injury and exercise group (EX) (n=14 in each group). Expressions of HSP70, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and caspase-3 were determined at 1 and 7 days after bupivacaine-induced muscle injury in gastrocnemius.ResultsResults showed that bupivacaine-induced muscle injury (1 day) significantly increased the expressions of HSP70 and iNOS. At 7 days after the muscle injury, HSP70 expression was higher in the EX group compared with that in the INJ group and elevated level of HSP70 by exercise is concomitant with downregulation of iNOS and the decreased number of caspase-3-positive cells as a marker of apoptosis. Fewer necrosis of myofibers were also found in the EX group compared with the INJ group.ConclusionOur results suggest that low-intensity treadmill exercise may enhance fast recovery from bupivacaine-induced muscle injury in rat partly by HSP70 upregulation.

The Effects of Qi-gong Exercise on Health-related Physical Fitness in Obese Middle-ased Women.[INTRODUCTION] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Qi-gong exercise for 12 weeks on health-related physical fitness in obese middle-aged women.[METHOD] The subjects were 15 obese middle-aged women and they were randomly assigned into 2 groups (Control group, n=7; Exercise group, n=8).Anthropometry, blood pressure, and health-related physical fitness were measured before and after training.The exercise program was performed 2 times per week for 12 weeks.[RESULT] There were no significant differences in body composition between Control group and Exercise group(p>.05).However, muscle strength(knee extensor), flexibility were significantly improved in exercise group after 12 weeks(p<.05).[CONCLUSION] These findings suggest that this Qi-gong exercise is beneficial to reduce the loss of muscle strength and flexibility according to degenerative process in middle-aged women.Therefore this Qi-gong exercise could enhance health-relate physical fitness in obese middle-aged women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the duration-dependence of the one bout treadmill exercise on cell proliferation, stress, and central fatigue in rats. The animals were randomly divided into five groups: the non-exercise group, 1-h exercise group, 2-h exercise group, 4-h exercise group, and 6-h exercise group. The exercise load consisted of running at speed of 13 meters/min with the 0° inclination. Cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was increased in response to one bout moderate treadmill exercise in all exercise groups. But there was no statistical significance between the exercise duration and cell proliferation. The optical density of glucocorticoid (GR)-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was not changed by treadmill exercise at any exercise duration. Expressions of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hyroxylase (TPH) were increased by treadmill exercise only at 6 h duration. It seemed like that there was no additional benefits on cell proliferation over 2 h exercise due to stressful factors with over exercise dose, and there was no change of GR expression due to early assessment point of time. It can be suggested that the one-bout of moderate treadmill exercise increased cell proliferation, but treadmill exercise prolonged to 6 h induced central fatigue in rats.

The authors examined the independent and combined associations of physical activity and obesity with incident type 2 diabetes among 675,496 Korean men from the database of the National Health Insurance Corporation. During an average follow-up of 7.5 years (1996-2005), 52,995 men developed type 2 diabetes. Men with overweight, obese I, and obese II classifications had 1.47, 2.05, and 3.69 times higher risk of type 2 diabetes, respectively, compared with normal weight men, and men with low, medium, and high activity had 5%, 10%, and 9% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, respectively, compared with inactive men after adjustment for confounders and physical activity or body mass index for each other. Overweight and obesity were detrimental within all activity categories, and meeting the activity recommendations (medium and high activity) was beneficial at all body mass index levels. Meeting the activity recommendations appeared to attenuate some negative effects of overweight or obesity, and the increased risk of type 2 diabetes due to inactivity was lower in normal weight men. Both preventing overweight or obesity and increasing physical activity are important to reduce the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes, regardless of body weight and activity levels.