BOSTON — Trauma exposure affects cardiovascular, cerebral and mental health, causing declines. A new study pointed out that physical activity has been identified as a nonpharmacological treatment to mitigate these negative health outcomes in civilian populations, with associated benefits to brain health.
The relationship between physical activity and brain structure in veterans has been unexplored, however, according to researchers led by Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the National Center for PTSD at the VA Boston Healthcare System, who add, “Veterans remain unexplored. Studying this relationship is crucial to develop targeted interventions tailored to the unique experiences of veterans.”
Their study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise sought to investigate the relationship of physical activity levels on white matter volume in post-9/11 veterans.1
Included were post-9/11 veterans enrolled in the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) longitudinal study at VA Boston Healthcare System. Participants were retrospectively categorized into two groups: a “Vigorous” group of veterans who participated in vigorous-intensity physical activity (n = 84), and a “No Vigorous” group of veterans who reported no participation in vigorous-intensity physical activity (n = 62).
The researchers measured physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and veterans underwent quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain regional white matter volumes.
Results of the cross-sectional analysis revealed trends of greater white matter volume throughout brain regions associated with cognitive functions and emotional regulation in the Vigorous group compared to the No Vigorous group. Following correction for multiple comparison, significant differences between groups were found in the right [p-corrected = 0.049] and left [p-corrected = 0.049] precuneus.
“Furthermore, an interaction analysis showed that the difference in white matter volume between vigorous and nonvigorous activity groups was more pronounced in individuals with PTSD compared to those without PTSD,” the authors explained, adding, “These data offer new insights suggesting vigorous physical activity is associated with neural benefits in veterans with PTSD.”
- Nowak MK, Whitworth JW, Fortenbaugh FC, Milberg WP, Fortier CB, Salat DH. Vigorous Physical Activity Is Associated with White Matter Volume in Post-9/11 Veterans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Feb 17. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003678. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39957056.
