Brain Health in Older Latinos: Associations with Physical Activity Levels and the Impact of BAILAMOSᵀᴹ

This dissertation is comprised of three different but complementary manuscripts. The manuscripts aimed to investigate the impact of the BAILAMOSᵀᴹ dance program on physical activity (PA) levels, cognition, and brain functional connectivity (FC) in older Latino adults; and investigate the associations between physical activity (PA) levels and brain white matter (WM) health. A total of 101 participants were included. In the first manuscript, participants were randomized to either the BAILAMOSᵀᴹ dance (n=28) or a health education group (n=29). In the second manuscript, 34 older Latinos participated in a cross-sectional study. In the third manuscript, 10 participants took part in the BAILAMOSᵀᴹ dance program. BAILAMOSᵀᴹ is comprised of four Latin dance styles with 60min twice a week classes for four months. Participants responded to the CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire in the three manuscripts. In manuscripts one and three, participants wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days on their waist (manuscript one) or wrist (manuscript three). They also responded to a battery of neuropsychological tests to assess cognitive function. In manuscripts two and three, participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans. All participants provided demographic information (e.g., age, sex, preferred language). Data analysis procedures included: two-way ANCOVA controlling for attendance, multiple linear regression models, paired t-tests, and Pearson correlation. Significance was set at p < 0.05, and Cohen’s d effect size was reported. Results showed that self-reported moderate PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and leisure-time MVPA demonstrated moderate effect size (0.3 > d < 0.6) increases among BAILAMOSᵀᴹ participants. Also, moderate effect size change in episodic memory (d = 0.4) was observed when comparing BAILAMOSᵀᴹ and health education groups. Greater levels of self-reported leisure-time MVPA were significantly associated with greater global WM volume (β = 0.132, SE = 0.091, p < 0.05) after controlling for covariables. FC within the Frontoparietal Network regions of interest (ROIs) significantly increased (t(9) = 2.35, p = 0.043, d = 0.70), and the Default Mode Network ROIs integrated more with other networks’ ROIs (t(9) = 1.96, p = 0.081, d = 0.64) after participation in the BAILAMOSᵀᴹ dance program.