Poulin, MarcFriedenreich, Christine MartheGill, Stephanie2015-09-302015-11-202015-09-302015Gill, S. (2015). Association Between Lifetime Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning in Middle-aged and Older Community Dwelling Adults: Results from the Brain in Motion Study (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25034http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2560Objective: Is total lifetime physical activity (PA) associated with better cognitive functioning with aging and does cerebrovascular function mediates this association? Methods: 226 community dwelling middle-aged and older adults completed the Lifetime Total PA Questionnaire, underwent neuropsychological and cerebrovascular blood flow testing. Multiple robust linear regressions were used to model the associations between lifetime PA and global cognition. Mediation analysis was used to assess the effect of cerebrovascular measures on the association between lifetime PA and global cognition. Results: Better cognitive performance was associated with higher lifetime PA (p=0.045), recreational PA (p=0.018), vigorous intensity PA (p=0.004), PA between the ages of 0-20 years (p=0.028), and the ages of 21-35 years (p<0.0001). Cerebrovascular measures partially mediated the relation between current fitness and cognition. Conclusion: This study revealed significant associations between higher levels of lifetime PA and better cognitive function. Cerebrovascular function partially mediated the relation between current fitness and global cognition.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.PhysiologyEpidemiologyPsychology--CognitiveAgingExerciseCerebrovascular PhysiologyEpidemiologymaster thesishttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25034