Dimitrova, Julia and Hogan, Michael and Khader, Patrick and O'Hora, Denis and Kilmartin, Liam and Walsh, Jane C. and Roche, Richard and Anderson-Hanley, Cay (2017) Comparing the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with an acute bout of interactive mental and physical exercise on electrophysiology and executive functioning in younger and older adults. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 29 (5). pp. 959-967. ISSN 1594-0667

Preview

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Background Physical exercise has been shown to improve cognitive and neural functioning in older adults. Aims and methods The current study compared the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with a bout of interactive mental and physical exercise (i.e., “exergaming”) on executive (Stroop) task performance and event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes in younger and older adults. Results Results revealed enhanced executive task performance in younger and older adults after exercise, with no differences in performance between exercise conditions. Stroop (RT) performance in older adults improved more than in younger adults from pre- to post-exercise. A significant increase in EEG amplitude from pre- to post-exercise was found at the Cz site from 320 to 700 ms post-stimulus for both younger and older adults, with older adults demonstrating a larger Stroop interference effect. While younger adults exhibited overall greater EEG amplitudes than older adults, they showed no differences between congruent and incongruent trials (i.e., minimal interference). Compared to peers with higher BMI (body mass index), older adults with lower BMI showed a greater reduction in Stroop interference effects from pre- to post-exercise. Discussion and conclusions The beneficial effects of an acute bout of physical exercise on cognitive and neural functioning in younger and older adults were confirmed, with no difference between standard exercise and exergaming. Findings suggest that BMI, sometimes used as a proxy for fitness level, may modulate benefits that older adults derive from an acute bout of exercise. Findings have implications for future research that seeks to investigate unique effects of exergaming when compared to standard physical exercise.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Aging; Stroop task; Interference; Mental and aerobic exercise;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	11787
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-016-0683-6
Depositing User:	Richard Roche
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2019 14:55
Journal or Publication Title:	Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
Publisher:	Springer
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads