Pathological changes associated with obesity alter the uniformity of brain white matter neural networks, as demonstrated by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Increased mean diffusion (MD) and decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in DTI observed in obese subjects may be due to degeneration of neural structures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high-intensity interval training and ketogenic diet on brain aging in obese and overweight adults using DTI.
Participants were divided into three groups: a control, a HIIT group that performed only the exercise protocol, and a ketogenic+HIIT group that followed both exercise and a ketogenic diet. The duration of the intervention was 6 weeks. The training protocol consisted of a 30-40 minute training session three times a week. The diet protocol was a standard ketogenic diet based on body weight. A urine ketone test strip was used to compare the presence of ketones in the body. All groups were examined in the Brain Mapping Center of Tehran University using DTI.
The results showed that there is a significant difference between the mean values of MD and FA in the HIIT and ketogenic+HIIT groups compared to the control group. The average MD in the HIIT and HIIT + ketogenic groups decreased significantly (p<0.05), while the average FA increased significantly in the HIIT and HIIT + ketogenic groups. (p<0.05)
This study showed that ketogenic diet and HIIT have a positive effect on white matter uniformity by changing MD and FA values. This result may slow down the rate of brain aging in obese people.