Lifetime Physical Activity and White Matter Hyperintensities in Cognitively Intact Adults.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) observed on magnetic resonance images are associated with depression and increase the risk of stroke, dementia, and death. The association between physical activity and WMHs has been inconsistently reported in the literature, perhaps because studies did not account for a lifetime of physical activity or depression.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which a lifetime of leisure-time physical activity is associated with less WMHs while accounting for depression.