Resistance Exercise and Cognition in Elderly

The following is a summary of a research paper I did on exercise and cognition in elderly adults.

 

 

 The effects of varying levels of exercise intensity will be monitored in regards to potential cognitive and other psychological benefits. (Cassilhas RC, Viana VA, Grassmann V, Santos RT, Santos RF, Tufik S and Marco T. Mello. (2007). The impact of resistance exercise on cognitive function in the elderly. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(8), 1401-1407.)

 

Researchers in the fields of psychobiology, exercise studies, psychopharmacology and the Department of Health Science analyzed subjects performing resistance exercise in the “Moderate” (50%intensity) and “High” (80% intensity) group; the researchers found better mood profile and quality of life results when compared to the control group.  Out of the “Moderate” and “High” intensity groups, the “Moderate” resulted in a stronger positive mood profile impact than the group exercising at higher intensities.  This demonstrates that moderate exercise among the elderly can result in lower instances of depression and a more positive outlook on life in general.

 

 

 

2.      Activities requiring complex motor functions with a dual-task nature will be analyzed based on cognitive well-being. (Kimura K and Noriko Hozumi. (2012). Investigating the acute effect of an aerobic dance exrcise program on neuro-cognitive function in the elderly.  Psychology of Sport and Exercise.13(5), 623-629.)

                                                                                                          

A positive acute effect of a dance exercise was seen on cognition in the elderly according to researchers in the Department of Humanity and Social Sciences and Tokyu Fitness Club from Tokyo Denki University.  Cognitive function was found to improve when participants performed an extended session of choreography.  There was no apparent effect on cognition when participants simply repeat dance elements.  Dance with task interference or dual-task nature shows a positive impact on cognition.  These findings suggest that incorporating a more complex dance/exercise program for elderly populations is more beneficial to their mental health than simpler routines. 

 

 

3.      We will study the effects of exercise programs on older adults with mild cognitive impairment. (Gates N, Fiatarone MA, Sachdev PS and Valenzuela M. (2013). The Effect of Exercise Training on Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.  American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 21(11), 1086-97.)

 

Researchers, including M.D.s and PhDs from the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales studied the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on healthy adults aged 65-95. Although the results were limited in regards to the amount of statistically significant data, significant improvements were seen in verbal fluency when they performed aerobic exercise. No significant benefit was found for additional executive measures, memory, or information processing.  However, two trials of isolated resistance training had significant improvements on memory.  These findings indicate that resistance exercise among the elderly may help memory more than aerobic exercise.  Questions remain in the magnitude, generalization, persistence, and mechanisms of benefits experienced.

 

 

4.      Comparisons will be made concerning brain composition in older masters athletes and sedentary older adults. (Tseng BY, Uh J, Rossetti HC, Cullum CM, Diaz-Arrastia RF, Levine BD, Lu H and Zhang R). (2013)  Masters athletes exhibit larger regional brain volume and better cognitive performance than sedentary older adults. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 38(5), 1169-76).

Researchers at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas found that Older Masters Athletes (72-78 years) tested superior in adult reading, category fluency and especially letter fluency when compared to sedentary individuals.  Notably, Masters Athletes showed higher grey and white brain matter concentrations than the older sedentary group of the same age in the regions related to visuospatial function, motor control, and working memory.  These results show that regular exercise as an older adult results in better mental health than remaining sedentary during later years. 

 

5.      Age-related comparisons will be made regarding cognitive improvement in younger and older adults.  (Tseng BY, Uh J, Rossetti HC, Cullum CM, Diaz-Arrastia RF, Levine BD, Lu H and Zhang R). (2013)  Masters athletes exhibit larger regional brain volume and better cognitive performance than sedentary older adults. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 38(5), 1169-76).

 

Remarkably, in most categories assessing mental competence, the older Masters Athletes outperformed the young sedentary group (aged 27-30 years) according to Researchers at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.  The older Masters Athletes of 72-78 years scored higher than the young sedentary group in 13 out of the 19 mental tests given. These findings indicate that, regardless of age, people who exercise can achieve superior mental performance than those who remain sedentary.