Abstract
BackgroundOlder adults are encouraged to participate in regular physical activity to counter the age-related declines in physical and cognitive health. Literature on the effect of different exercise training modalities (aerobic vs resistance) on these health-related outcomes is not only sparse, but results are inconsistent. In general, it is believed that exercise has a positive effect on executive cognitive function, possibly because of the physiological adaptations through increases in fitness. Indications are that high-intensity interval training is a potent stimulus to improve cardiovascular fitness, even in older adults; however, its effect on cognitive function has not been studied before.Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of resistance training, high-intensity aerobic interval training and moderate continuous aerobic training on the cognitive and physical functioning of healthy older adults.MethodsSixty-seven inactive individuals (55 to 75 years) were randomly assigned to a resistance training (RT) group (n = 22), high-intensity aerobic interval training (HIIT) group (n = 13), moderate continuous aerobic training (MCT) group (n = 13) and a control (CON) group (n = 19) for a period of 16 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed with a Stroop task and physical function with the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and submaximal Bruce treadmill tests.ResultsNo significant GROUP x TIME interaction was found for Stroop reaction time (P > .05). The HIIT group showed the greatest practical significant improvement in reaction time on the information processing task, i.e. Stroop Neutral (ES = 1.11). MCT group participants had very large practical significant improvements in reaction time on the executive cognitive tasks, i.e. Stroop Incongruent and Interference (ES = 1.28 and 1.31, respectively). The HIIT group showed the largest practically significant increase in measures of physical function, i.e. walking endurance (ES = 0.91) and functional mobility (ES = 0.36).ConclusionsMCT and RT proved to be superior to HIIT for the enhancement of older individuals’ executive cognitive function; whereas HIIT were most beneficial for improvement in information processing speed. HIIT also induced the largest gains in physical function.
Highlights
Older adults are encouraged to participate in regular physical activity to counter the age-related declines in physical and cognitive health
The high-intensity aerobic interval training (HIIT) and resistance training (RT) groups showed showed large practically and statistically significant improvements in reaction time from pre- to post-test on the Stroop Neutral subtask, while the moderate continuous aerobic training (MCT) and CON groups improved moderately, but not statistically significantly
There was a 18.51%, 15.05%, 6.33% improvement in lower level cognitive function following the HIIT, RT and MCT intervention, respectively, while the performance of the CON group improved by 11.02%
Summary
Older adults are encouraged to participate in regular physical activity to counter the age-related declines in physical and cognitive health. Indications are that high-intensity interval training is a potent stimulus to improve cardiovascular fitness, even in older adults; its effect on cognitive function has not been studied before. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of resistance training, high-intensity aerobic interval training and moderate continuous aerobic training on the cognitive and physical functioning of healthy older adults. McAuley et al [5] asserted that a decline in executive cognitive control is associated with the normal ageing process. This proposed decline has been associated with changes (e.g. volumetric) in certain brain areas, especially the frontal lobes. Royall et al [6] demonstrated in a three-year cohort study that the regression in executive cognitive control is independently associated with longitudinal declines in functional status
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