Brent Rosenstein

I am a Master of Science candidate in the department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. My research project is on the “Short- and Long-Term Changes in Cognitive Function After Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in People with COPD”. The aim is to compare the effects of three different exercise-training protocols on cognition in senior patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third most common cause of mortality worldwide and in Canada. Although COPD cannot currently be cured, it is possible to slow down disease progression with pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). PR, which combines exercise training, self-management education, and psychosocial support, has become widely recognized as a core component in the management of COPD. Seniors with COPD have a higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment compared to their age-matched counterparts without COPD. Cognitive impairment can lead to functional disability and memory loss which, in turn, can result in a reduced quality of life. Early detection and management of this comorbidity could thus have an important impact on treatment outcomes. Pulmonary rehabilitation, particularly the exercise training component, has been proposed as a promising approach to mitigate cognitive declines in seniors with COPD. My research project has the potential to identify the optimal aerobic training intervention to improve or maintain cognitive function in seniors with COPD. It could therefore help improve their quality of life by increasing their exercise tolerance and cognitive function, which could lead to improvements in overall health-enhancing behavior change, functional status and autonomy. My long-term goal is to remain involved in research projects that use exercise as an intervention.