Abstract
Background: Physical exercise is an effective measure for preventing the onset of cognitive decline and has a direct influence on the aging process. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a 6-month physical exercise program on cognition and telomere length in adults over 65 years of age. Method: Seventy-four healthy women were separated into two groups: 41 were included in the intervention group (IG) (72.70 ± 4.127 years and 8.18 ± 1.551 years of education) and 33 in the control group (CG) (71.21 ± 4.127 years and 8.42 ± 2.562). The participants included within the IG carried out three sessions of physical exercise per week for six months. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Stroop test and the Trail Making Test (TMT). Saliva samples were taken and analyzed and relative telomere length was calculated. Those conducting the analysis were blind to the group to which the participants had been assigned. Results: An improvement was observed in global cognitive function, in both attentional and executive functions, in the group of adults doing physical exercise as compared to the control group. Six months after the physical exercise program had finished, relative telomere length was found to have increased in the participants in the intervention group. Conclusion: Physical exercise programs can lead to an improvement in both cognitive functions and telomere length.
Highlights
New healthcare policies and advances in the field of health are leading to increased life expectancies and decreases in mortality rates, resulting in an inverted population pyramid
A random sampling by clusters was carried out where eight neighborhood associations, out of a total of 20 older adults participating in the Geriatric Revitalization Program, were selected
22 people abandoned the study for various reasons, reducing the sample size to 74 participants, 43 of which were assigned to the intervention group (IG) and 33 to the control group (CG)
Summary
New healthcare policies and advances in the field of health are leading to increased life expectancies and decreases in mortality rates, resulting in an inverted population pyramid (more elderly people). This situation has given rise to a higher prevalence of chronic age-related diseases, which are associated with ageing populations. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a 6-month physical exercise program on cognition and telomere length in adults over 65 years of age. Six months after the physical exercise program had finished, relative telomere length was found to have increased in the participants in the intervention group. Conclusion: Physical exercise programs can lead to an improvement in both cognitive functions and telomere length
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