Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide
Published on: November 29, 2024
The Utility of High Intensity Interval Training to Improve Cognitive Aging in Heart Disease Patients
Jenna L Taylor1,2, Jill N Barnes3, Bruce D Johnson1,2
1Human Integrative and Environmental Physiology Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
Abstract:
Adults with cardiovascular disease and heart failure are at higher risk of cognitive decline. Cerebral hypoperfusion appears to be a significant contributor, which can result from vascular dysfunction and impairment of cerebral blood flow regulation. In contrast, higher cardiorespiratory fitness shows protection against brain atrophy, reductions in cerebral blood flow, and cognitive decline. Given that high intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to be a potent stimulus for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and peripheral vascular function, its utility for improving cognitive aging is an important area of research. This article will review the physiology related to cerebral blood flow regulation and cognitive decline in adults with cardiovascular disease and heart failure, and how HIIT may provide a more optimal stimulus for improving cognitive aging in this population.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and...
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures

