PMID- 23304508 OWN - NLM STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE DCOM- 20130111 LR - 20240324 IS - 2090-2212 (Electronic) IS - 2090-2204 (Print) IS - 2090-2204 (Linking) VI - 2012 DP - 2012 TI - Potential moderators of physical activity on brain health. PG - 948981 LID - 10.1155/2012/948981 [doi] LID - 948981 AB - Age-related cognitive decline is linked to numerous molecular, structural, and functional changes in the brain. However, physical activity is a promising method of reducing unfavorable age-related changes. Physical activity exerts its effects on the brain through many molecular pathways, some of which are regulated by genetic variants in humans. In this paper, we highlight genes including apolipoprotein E (APOE), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) along with dietary omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as potential moderators of the effect of physical activity on brain health. There are a growing number of studies indicating that physical activity might mitigate the genetic risks for disease and brain dysfunction and that the combination of greater amounts of DHA intake with physical activity might promote better brain function than either treatment alone. Understanding whether genes or other lifestyles moderate the effects of physical activity on neurocognitive health is necessary for delineating the pathways by which brain health can be enhanced and for grasping the individual variation in the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on the brain and cognition. There is a need for future research to continue to assess the factors that moderate the effects of physical activity on neurocognitive function. FAU - Leckie, Regina L AU - Leckie RL AD - Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Sennott Square 3417, 210 S. Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. FAU - Weinstein, Andrea M AU - Weinstein AM FAU - Hodzic, Jennifer C AU - Hodzic JC FAU - Erickson, Kirk I AU - Erickson KI LA - eng GR - P30 AG024827/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States GR - R01 DK095172/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States PT - Journal Article DEP - 20121209 PL - United States TA - J Aging Res JT - Journal of aging research JID - 101543460 PMC - PMC3523571 EDAT- 2013/01/11 06:00 MHDA- 2013/01/11 06:01 PMCR- 2012/12/09 CRDT- 2013/01/11 06:00 PHST- 2012/06/29 00:00 [received] PHST- 2012/10/25 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2012/11/08 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2013/01/11 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2013/01/11 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2013/01/11 06:01 [medline] PHST- 2012/12/09 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - 10.1155/2012/948981 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - J Aging Res. 2012;2012:948981. doi: 10.1155/2012/948981. Epub 2012 Dec 9.