Matsuzaki R., Matsuoka T., Nakanishi K., Tani A., Kakimoto S., Kato Y., Kawatani T., Nakagawa S., Baba Y., Kobayashi M., Takihara T., Sakakima H. . Effects of green tea catechins and exercise2025 · 記述言語： 日本語 出版者・発行元： Experimental Gerontology Sarcopenia negatively affects the quality of life and health of older individuals. Physical exercise is a standard treatment for sarcopenia. Recently, the potential benefits of green tea catechins (GTCs) in sarcopenia have gained considerable attention. In this study, we investigated the effects of a combination of GTCs and physical exercise on the symptoms and pathologies of sarcopenia using male senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8). These mice were divided into four groups: control, GTCs, exercise (Ex), and GTCs + Ex. GTC-fed mice were fed a diet containing 0.33 % GTCs. The mice were subjected to exercise training (voluntary wheel running) for 12 weeks, from 5 to 8 months of age, and grip strength and gastrocnemius muscle alterations were investigated. SAMP8 mice exhibited symptoms and pathologies of sarcopenia, including loss of muscle mass, decreased grip strength, reduced mitochondrial capacity, increased oxidative stress, reduced number of satellite cells, and an increased ratio of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive nuclei located within the muscle cells in the aged muscle. The GTCs and/or Ex groups showed improved symptoms and pathologies of sarcopenia. In addition, the GTCs + Ex group exhibited enhanced mitochondrial capacity, myogenic differentiation, and maturation in aged skeletal muscle than that observed in the GTCs group. Our findings suggested that GTCs and/or Ex are effective in ameliorating several age-related changes in muscle morphology and function. Notably, GTCs intake, together with habitual exercise, may enhance the beneficial effects on the symptoms and pathologies of sarcopenia in aged muscle. DOI： 10.1016/j.exger.2025.112720 Scopus PubMed
Otsuka S., Kikuchi K., Takeshita Y., Takada S., Tani A., Sakakima H., Maruyama I., Makizako H. . Relationship between physical activity and cerebral white matter hyperintensity volumes in olde2024 · 記述言語： 日本語 出版者・発行元： Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience Introduction: Cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are commonly found in the aging brain and have been implicated in the initiation and severity of many central nervous system diseases. Furthermore, an increased WMH volume indicates reduced brain health in older adults. This study investigated the association between WMH volume and physical activity in older adults with depressive symptoms (DS) and mild memory impairment (MMI). Factors associated with the WMH volume were also investigated. Methods: A total of 57 individuals aged over 65 years with DS and MMI were included in this study. The participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging to quantify WMH volumes. After WMH volume was accumulated, normalized to the total intracranial volume (TIV), the percentage of WMH volume was calculated. In addition, all participants wore a triaxial accelerometer for 2 weeks, and the average daily physical activity and number of steps were measured. The levels of blood biomarkers including cortisol, interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived insulin-like growth factor-1, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were measured. Motor and cognitive functions were also assessed. Results: Faster maximum walking speed and longer time spent engaged in moderate physical activity were associated with a smaller percent of WMH volume, whereas higher serum IL-6 levels were associated with a larger percent of WMH volume. The number of steps per day, time spent engaged in low levels of physical activity, cognitive function, and all other measured biomarkers were not significantly associated with percent of WMH volume. Discussion: Higher blood inflammatory cytokine levels, shorter duration of moderate physical activity, and lower maximum walking speed were associated with a higher percent of WMH volume. Our results provide useful information for maintaining brain health in older adults at a high risk of developing dementia and may contribute to the development of preventive medicine for brain health. DOI： 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1337397 Scopus PubMed
