Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults
We have previously shown that aerobic exercise improves measures of verbal fluency in older adults, and such an improvement is correlated with improved cardiovascular reserve (i.e., estimates of VO 2 ). Due to increasing popularity in computer-based cognitive training, we explored whether the additi...
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Series: | Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721419896884 |
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doaj-769be9245779434b895fd9e0ae470aad2020-11-25T03:42:15ZengSAGE PublishingGerontology and Geriatric Medicine2333-72142020-01-01610.1177/2333721419896884Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older AdultsJoe R. Nocera PhD0Kevin Mammino BS1Yash Kommula2Whitney Wharton PhD3Bruce Crosson PhD4Keith M. McGregor PhD5Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USACenter for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USACenter for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USAEmory University, Atlanta, GA, USAEmory University, Atlanta, GA, USAEmory University, Atlanta, GA, USAWe have previously shown that aerobic exercise improves measures of verbal fluency in older adults, and such an improvement is correlated with improved cardiovascular reserve (i.e., estimates of VO 2 ). Due to increasing popularity in computer-based cognitive training, we explored whether the addition of cognitive training to aerobic exercise would further enhance the beneficial cognitive impact of exercise. Therefore, this study sought to test the hypothesis that a cognitive training regimen alone would directly improve executive function and that this effect would be potentiated with the addition of aerobic exercise. The interventions lasted 12 weeks, and cognitive assessments were taken immediately prior to and after the interventions. We found that only the groups employing aerobic exercise showed improvements in verbal fluency (semantic and letter) and cardiovascular fitness with no other executive functions being significantly impacted. Cognitive training alone was associated with decreased verbal fluency. These data replicate previous findings which indicate that aerobic exercise may have a remedial or mitigating effect of cognitive decline. In addition, they provide evidence that the addition of concurrent cognitive training to an aerobic exercise program does not provide synergistic improvement in executive functions.https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721419896884 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Joe R. Nocera PhD Kevin Mammino BS Yash Kommula Whitney Wharton PhD Bruce Crosson PhD Keith M. McGregor PhD |
spellingShingle |
Joe R. Nocera PhD Kevin Mammino BS Yash Kommula Whitney Wharton PhD Bruce Crosson PhD Keith M. McGregor PhD Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
author_facet |
Joe R. Nocera PhD Kevin Mammino BS Yash Kommula Whitney Wharton PhD Bruce Crosson PhD Keith M. McGregor PhD |
author_sort |
Joe R. Nocera PhD |
title |
Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults |
title_short |
Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults |
title_full |
Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults |
title_fullStr |
Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of Combined Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training on Verbal Fluency in Older Adults |
title_sort |
effects of combined aerobic exercise and cognitive training on verbal fluency in older adults |
publisher |
SAGE Publishing |
series |
Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
issn |
2333-7214 |
publishDate |
2020-01-01 |
description |
We have previously shown that aerobic exercise improves measures of verbal fluency in older adults, and such an improvement is correlated with improved cardiovascular reserve (i.e., estimates of VO 2 ). Due to increasing popularity in computer-based cognitive training, we explored whether the addition of cognitive training to aerobic exercise would further enhance the beneficial cognitive impact of exercise. Therefore, this study sought to test the hypothesis that a cognitive training regimen alone would directly improve executive function and that this effect would be potentiated with the addition of aerobic exercise. The interventions lasted 12 weeks, and cognitive assessments were taken immediately prior to and after the interventions. We found that only the groups employing aerobic exercise showed improvements in verbal fluency (semantic and letter) and cardiovascular fitness with no other executive functions being significantly impacted. Cognitive training alone was associated with decreased verbal fluency. These data replicate previous findings which indicate that aerobic exercise may have a remedial or mitigating effect of cognitive decline. In addition, they provide evidence that the addition of concurrent cognitive training to an aerobic exercise program does not provide synergistic improvement in executive functions. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721419896884 |
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