A transdisciplinary approach to the selection of moderators of an exercise promotion intervention: baseline data and rationale for Colorado STRIDE

Randomized Controlled Trial of an Alcohol-related Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention with Adolescents: The Role of Neurocognitive Activation During Risky Decision-Making

Justice-involved youth are at a higher risk of negative outcomes from sexual activity and alcohol use relative to their non-justice involved peers. In the current study, we tested the extent to which variability in neurocognitive response (i.e., activation in the right superior parietal lobule; rSPL) during a risky decision-making task moderated the success of a sexual risk reduction intervention. In a cluster randomized trial blocked by gender, justice-involved adolescents (N = 269) first completed a risky decision-making task during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session, then were assigned to an information-only control (GINFO) or sexual risk reduction intervention incorporating alcohol risk reduction content (GPI + GMET) and then re-contacted every three months for one year. Youth in the GPI + GMET intervention reported less sexual risk behavior 12 months after intervention than those in the control. Although neurocognitive activation was associated with sexual risk behavior, it did not moderate intervention outcomes. This risk-reduction intervention appears to work equally well across a range of neurocognitive responses.

Opposite Epigenetic Associations With Alcohol Use and Exercise Intervention

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a devastating public health problem in which both genetic and environmental factors play a role. Growing evidence supports that epigenetic regulation is one major mechanism in neuroadaptation that contributes to development of AUD. Meanwhile, epigenetic patterns can be modified by various stimuli including exercise. Thus, it is an intriguing question whether exercise can lead to methylation changes that are opposite to those related to drinking. We herein conducted a comparative study to explore this issue. Three cohorts were profiled for DNA methylation (DNAm), including a longitudinal exercise intervention cohort (53 healthy participants profiled at baseline and after a 12-months exercise intervention), a cross-sectional case-control cohort (81 hazardous drinkers and 81 healthy controls matched in age and sex), and a cross-sectional binge drinking cohort (281 drinkers). We identified 906 methylation sites showing significant DNAm differences between drinkers and controls in the case-control cohort, as well as, associations with drinking behavior in the drinking cohort. In parallel, 341 sites were identified for significant DNAm alterations between baseline and follow-up in the exercise cohort. Thirty-two sites overlapped between these two set of findings, of which 15 sites showed opposite directions of DNAm associations between exercise and drinking. Annotated genes of these 15 sites were enriched in signaling pathways related to synaptic plasticity. In addition, the identified methylation sites significantly associated with impaired control over drinking, suggesting relevance to neural function. Collectively, the current findings provide preliminary evidence that exercise has the potential to partially reverse DNAm differences associated with drinking at some CpG sites, motivating rigorously designed longitudinal studies to better characterize epigenetic effects with respect to prevention and intervention of AUD.

Physical activity and differential methylation of breast cancer genes assayed from saliva: a preliminary investigation

PURPOSE

Individuals who exercise are at lower risk for breast cancer and have better post-diagnosis outcomes. The biological mechanisms behind this association are unclear, but DNA methylation has been suggested.

METHODS

We developed a composite measure of DNA methylation across 45 CpG sites on genes selected a priori. We examined the association of this measure to self-reported physical activity and objectively measured cardiovascular fitness in a sample of healthy nonsmoking adults (n = 64) in an exercise promotion intervention.

RESULTS

Individuals who were more physically fit and who exercised more minutes per week had lower levels of DNA methylation. Those who increased their minutes of physical activity over 12 months experienced decreases in DNA methylation.

CONCLUSIONS

DNA methylation may be a mechanism linking exercise and cancer incidence and could serve as a biomarker for behavioral intervention trials. Studies with larger samples, objectively measured exercise, and more cancer-related markers are needed.

Colorado stride (COSTRIDE): testing genetic and physiological moderators of response to an intervention to increase physical activity

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this research was to replicate a successful intervention to increase physical activity in a different region of the country, and explore genetic and physiological moderators of intervention efficacy drawn from a transdisciplinary theoretical framework.

METHOD

A randomized controlled trial comparing a print-based physical activity intervention (COSTRIDE) to a print-based health and wellness contact control (HW) intervention was conducted. Sedentary participants (n = 219) completed assessments at baseline and follow-up assessments at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following the initiation of the intervention.

RESULTS

Participants in both conditions significantly increased exercise behavior in the first six months, and then leveled off or decreased physical activity in the second six months of the study. Those in the COSTRIDE intervention increased significantly more than those in the HW intervention, and were better able to maintain their exercise behavior. Genetic factors (BDNF, rs6265; FTO, rs8044769), but not selected physiological (body temperature, blood lactate, systolic blood pressure, plasma norepinephrine, and heart rate) or subjective (perceived pain, affect) responses to physical activity, moderated response to the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

There are underlying genetic factors that influence response to behavioral intervention, and a better understanding of these factors has the potential to influence the development, targeting and tailoring of behavioral interventions to increase physical activity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT01091857.

Genetic Influences on Physiological and Subjective Responses to an Aerobic Exercise Session among Sedentary Adults

Objective. To determine whether genetic variants suggested by the literature to be associated with physiology and fitness phenotypes predicted differential physiological and subjective responses to a bout of aerobic exercise among inactive but otherwise healthy adults. Method. Participants completed a 30-minute submaximal aerobic exercise session. Measures of physiological and subjective responding were taken before, during, and after exercise. 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been previously associated with various exercise phenotypes were tested for associations with physiological and subjective response to exercise phenotypes. Results. We found that two SNPs in the FTO gene (rs8044769 and rs3751812) were related to positive affect change during exercise. Two SNPs in the CREB1 gene (rs2253206 and 2360969) were related to change in temperature during exercise and with maximal oxygen capacity (VO(2) max). The SLIT2 SNP rs1379659 and the FAM5C SNP rs1935881 were associated with norepinephrine change during exercise. Finally, the OPRM1 SNP rs1799971 was related to changes in norepinephrine, lactate, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise. Conclusion. Genetic factors influence both physiological and subjective responses to exercise. A better understanding of genetic factors underlying physiological and subjective responses to aerobic exercise has implications for development and potential tailoring of exercise interventions.