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Associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, p-tau181, and cognition in healthy older adults with memory complaints: a secondary analysis from the MAPT.

J. Raffin, K. Blennow, Yves Rolland, C. Cantet, S. Guyonnet, B. Vellas, P. de Souto Barreto

The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2025

558 participants · 17 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Physical activity provides benefits against cognitive decline but its associations with Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology are not fully understood. We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and phosphorylated (p)-tau181 blood concentrations, and the role of p-tau181 in the associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cognition.

METHODS

In this post-hoc secondary analysis, we used data from a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled superiority trial (the Multidomain Alzheimer's Preventive Trial [MAPT]), in which adults aged 70 years and older were recruited from the community in 13 memory centres in France and Monaco. Individuals were eligible if they met at least one of the following criteria: spontaneous memory complaints, low gait speed (≤0·77 m/s), or limitation in at least one instrumental activity of daily living. Exclusion criteria included a dementia diagnosis, a Mini Mental State Examination score below 24, and having limitations in basic activities of daily living. For this secondary analysis, participants from MAPT were included if they had blood p-tau181 concentrations measured at baseline or at 3 years, or both timepoints. Self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (in metabolic equivalent of task min per week) and a cognitive composite score (calculated by averaging the Z scores of four cognitive tests) were assessed at baseline and at 6 months and at…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 558 participants or records.

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