A Case Series Tries to Answer Whether Exercise Positively Influences Immunosenescence

Binoy M K V1, Jagatheesan Alagesan1

  • 1Physiotherapy, Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, IND.

Cureus
|January 25, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Balance-based exercise showed slight, non-significant improvements in immune cell counts (CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8) in elderly women, suggesting potential but requiring further study for immunosenescence.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Gerontology
  • Exercise Science

Background:

  • Immunosenescence, the decline of the immune system with aging, increases elderly vulnerability to infections.
  • T-lymphocytes, including CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, are crucial immune components affected by aging.
  • Physical exercise is hypothesized to positively influence immune cell composition and combat immunosenescence.

Observation:

  • This case series examined an eight-week supervised, balance-based exercise intervention in two elderly women.
  • Immune biomarkers (CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8) were measured before and after the intervention using flow cytometry.
  • The study focused on individuals in an institutional setting, a population often experiencing significant immunosenescence.

Findings:

  • Following the intervention, increases in CD45, CD3, CD4, and CD8 cell counts were observed compared to baseline.
  • These improvements in immune cell counts were statistically non-significant, indicating only slight changes.

Implications:

  • While balance-based exercise may offer some benefits for immune function in the elderly, the observed changes were marginal.
  • Further research with larger sample sizes and varied exercise protocols is needed to confirm the efficacy of exercise in mitigating immunosenescence.
  • These findings highlight the complexity of exercise interventions and their impact on the aging immune system.

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