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Updated: May 25, 2026

Short Session High Intensity Interval Training and Treadmill Assessment in Aged Mice
Published on: February 2, 2019
Aerobic interval training compensates age related decline in cardiac function.
Harald Edvard Molmen1, Ulrik Wisloff, Inger Lise Aamot
1Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. haraldedvard@gmail.com
Aerobic interval training (AIT) improved heart function in seniors, partly reversing age-related diastolic dysfunction and enhancing cardiac performance during exercise. This study compared seniors to master athletes and young controls.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Aging is associated with impaired cardiac function, particularly diastolic dysfunction, in sedentary individuals.
- Master athletes (MA) maintain superior cardiac function into older age.
- Understanding the potential of exercise interventions like aerobic interval training (AIT) in older adults is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of AIT on myocardial function in sedentary seniors.
- To compare the effects of AIT in seniors with master athletes (MA) and young controls.
- To assess changes in both diastolic and systolic cardiac function at rest and during exercise.
Main Methods:
- Sixteen sedentary seniors (72 ± 1 years) underwent 12 weeks of AIT (3x/week, 4x4 min intervals at ~90% max heart rate).
- Cardiac function was assessed at rest and during exercise and compared to 11 male MA (74 ± 2 years) and 10 young males (23 ± 2 years).
- Key parameters measured included diastolic function (E/A ratio, e', IVRT) and systolic function (S', RFAC).
Main Results:
- Seniors exhibited impaired diastolic function at rest compared to young controls.
- AIT significantly improved resting diastolic parameters (E/A ratio, e', IVRT) in seniors.
- AIT enhanced left ventricular (LV) systolic function during exercise and improved right ventricle (RV) systolic function (S', RFAC) at rest.
Conclusions:
- AIT partially reversed age-related diastolic dysfunction in healthy seniors at rest.
- Aerobic interval training improved LV diastolic and systolic function during exercise.
- AIT also enhanced resting RV systolic function in older adults.
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