Abstract
Aging is associated with declines in physical and cognitive performance. While there is no doubt about beneficial effects of physical exercise on proxies of strength and balance, the overall evidence for positive effects of resistance and balance training on executive functions is rather inconsistent. Whether the simultaneous exercising of strength and balance, i.e., instability resistance training, promotes executive functions in older adults is unknown. In the present trial, we tested the effects of unstable vs. stable resistance training on executive functions. Sixty-eight healthy older adults aged 65–79 years were randomly assigned to either an instability free-weight resistance training or one of two stable machine-based resistance training programs. Each group exercised twice a week on non-consecutive days for 10 weeks. Four tests to evaluate specific domains of executive functions were administered prior and following training: working memory, processing speed, response inhibition and set-shifting. The instability resistance training group improved working memory, processing speed and response inhibition from pre to post-test. In contrast, we found no improvements in executive functions for both stable resistance training groups. Our results demonstrate that 10 weeks of instability resistance training suffice to improve executive functions in older adults.
Highlights
The decline of neuromuscular control, motor performance and cognition with aging and adverse health outcomes such as functional limitations and possible falls are major health care issues of the 21st century[1,2,3]
The goal of the present three-arm double-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to compare the effects of instability resistance training vs. stable resistance training on executive functions in older adults
In agreement with our first hypothesis we found meaningful improvements from pre- to post-testing for instability free-weight resistance training (I-FRT) compared to the stable resistance training groups in the Digit Memory Test, the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and the Stroop-Colour-Word Test
Summary
The decline of neuromuscular control, motor performance and cognition with aging and adverse health outcomes such as functional limitations and possible falls are major health care issues of the 21st century[1,2,3]. The effects of resistance training modalities with different cognitive and physical demands on executive functions in older adults were tested in this study. Studies employing resistance training show that it may improve cognition in older adults[6,8,9], yet consistent evidence of positive effects are still amiss[6,12,13]. In contrast to aerobic and resistance training, demanding balance training shows more consistent positive effects on executive functions[5,14]. It is not surprising that physical exercise interventions incorporating several training modalities and, providing higher demands and challenges, procure a superiority to basic aerobic and resistance training with regard to more consistent effects[6,7,16]. We know from previous research that both, resistance[6,8,9] and balance[5,14] training, may benefit cognition in older adults, when it is challenging, raising the question whether the combination of both, i.e. balance and resistance training may enhance cognition in older adults, given the higher challenges and the need of increased attention
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