Impact of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Cerebral Blood Flow in Individuals with Down Syndrome

Spencer Skaper is a Master of Science student at the University of Victoria and is leading a research project aimed at understanding how exercise improves blood flow to the brain in individuals with Down syndrome. This project is funded by the Canadian Consortium of Clinical Trial Training Platform-Clinical Trials Training Programs (CANTRAIN-CTTP) & Michael Smith Health Research BC Masters’ Studentship, which is a BC-based initiative with mentorship and support from the Cerebrovascular Health Exercise and Environmental Research Sciences laboratory under Dr. Kurt Smith, an expert in cerebrovascular health. Individuals with Down syndrome have lower blood flow to the brain, resulting in advanced aging and a higher risk of early Alzheimer’s disease and other cerebrovascular disorders. However, limited studies have demonstrated brain blood flow responses in a Down syndrome population, with fewer proposing early intervention strategies that preserve cerebrovascular function. Thus, this study aims to determine how moderate exercise affects brain blood flow in Down syndrome. We believe that aerobic exercise will improve brain blood flow in this population. These findings may be valuable for implementing early intervention strategies that preserve brain blood flow and limit early onset cerebrovascular complications in Down syndrome. The research findings could inform exercise recommendations to support brain health in Down syndrome, benefiting individuals, caregivers, and BC’s healthcare system. The results may also contribute to broader efforts in preventing cerebrovascular diseases in the aging Down syndrome populations.