Acute Effect of a Simultaneous Exercise and Cognitive Task on Executive Functions and Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation in Healthy Older Adults

Abstract

The rapid increase in population aging and associated age-related cognitive decline requires identifying innovative and effective methods to prevent it. To manage this socio-economic challenge, physical, cognitive, and combined stimulations are proposed. The superiority of simultaneous training compared to passive control and physical training alone seems to be an efficient method, but very few studies assess the acute effect on executive function. This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of simultaneous physical and cognitive exercise on executive functions in healthy older adults, in comparison with either training alone. Seventeen healthy older adults performed three experimental conditions in randomized order: physical exercise, cognitive exercise, and simultaneous physical and cognitive exercise. The protocol involved a 30 min exercise duration at 60% of theoretical maximal heart rate or 30 min of cognitive exercise or both. Executive functions measured by the Stroop task and pre-frontal cortex oxygenation were assessed before and after the intervention. We found a main effect of time on executive function and all experimental condition seems to improve inhibition and flexibility scores (<0.05). We also found a decrease in cerebral oxygenation (Δ[HbO2]) in both hemispheres after each intervention in all cognitive performance assessed (p < 0.05). Simultaneous physical and cognitive exercise is as effective a method as either physical or cognitive exercise alone for improving executive function. The results of this study may have important clinical repercussions by allowing to optimize the interventions designed to maintain the cognitive health of older adults since simultaneous provide a time-efficient strategy to improve cognitive performance in older adults.

Effect of simultaneous exercise and cognitive training on executive functions, baroreflex sensitivity, and pre-frontal cortex oxygenation in healthy older adults: a pilot study

“…The distance between each emitter and receptor was 3.5 cm. The placement of this patch was already used in previous studies [ 69 , 70 ]. The sensors were shielded from ambient light with a black cloth.…”

“…During all the procedure, our participants were asked to always face forward during the test, avoid making a sudden head movement, clenching their jaw, frowning, and other facial expressions. This pre-processing analysis was already used in previous studies [ 70 ]. To analyze the fNIRS results, we first performed a channel-by-channel analysis.…”

“…Each session consisted of 4 different games (among 32 possible games), which were the same for all participants, but with a level of difficulty adapted to their cognitive capacities. An example of one session was presented elsewhere [ 70 ] The 32 games were used during the 12-week program in order to target all cognitive domains, with the same programming for all participants (i.e. 4 different games by sessions during 8 sessions, this sequence being repeated thrice).…”

“…The participants performed both programmes simultaneously, with the same exercise intensities, durations and planning of the cognitive games explained above, using a specific device (Velo-Cognitif, REV’LIM, Limoges, France). This device has been previously described by Pellegrini-Laplagne et al [ 70 ].…”

Cognitive-motor dual task: An effective rehabilitation method in aging-related cognitive impairment

“…CMDT training has emerged as an intervention strategy that combines cognitive and motor training. It has been shown that CMDT training may be more effective as an effective combined intervention than a single training modality (Pellegrini-Laplagne et al, 2022). (Oswald et al, 2006;Gallou-Guyot et al, 2020b).…”