Impact of Physical Activity on Executive Functions in Aging: A Selective Effect on Inhibition Among Old Adults

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to determine the impact of physical activity on three different executive functions (shifting, inhibition, and updating) and to examine whether cardiovascular fitness was a good mediator of the positive link(s) between these variables. Sixty-three young adults (18-28 years), 30 young-old adults (60-70 years) and 30 old adults (71-81 years) were divided into physically active and sedentary groups according to physical activity level (assessed from an accelerometer and the Historical Leisure Activity Questionnaire). Cardiovascular fitness was assessed by VO2max from the Rockport 1 mile. Each executive function was assessed through three different experimental tasks. ANCOVAs revealed that the effect of physical activity level was specific to the old adults and significant for inhibition, but not for updating and shifting. Mediation analysis showed that this positive effect in the old adults group was mediated by cardiovascular fitness level. The present findings highlight the positive linkages among physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and inhibition in aging.

Multiple roads lead to Rome: combined high-intensity aerobic and strength training vs. gross motor activities leads to equivalent improvement in executive functions in a cohort of healthy older adults

“…This specific effect of physical training on inhibition has been previously reported. Recently, in a crosssectional study, higher physical activity levels were associated with better inhibition performance while this effect was not significant for working memory (Boucard et al 2012). These results find some support in recent reports.…”

“…Intervention (Kramer et al 1999;Renaud et al 2010b;Langlois et al 2012) as well as cross sectional (Renaud et al 2010a;Boucard et al 2012;Berryman et al 2013) and longitudinal (Yaffe et al 2001;Barnes et al 2003;Larson et al 2006) studies suggest that higher physical fitness levels are associated with better cognitive functions. Different review articles and meta-analyses of intervention studies also support these results, which tend to confirm the beneficial effects of physical activity on cognitive functions and mental health in older adults (Smith et al 2010;Colcombe and Kramer 2003;Hillman et al 2008;Voss et al 2011;Angevaren et al 2008;Matta Mello Portugal et al 2013).…”

The Effects of Chronic Exercise on Attentional Networks

“…For example, using a flanker task, Hillman, Kramer, Belopolsky and Smith [18] found that increased levels of chronic exercise reduced the negative impact of incongruent stimuli in older but not in the younger participants. The absence of effect of exercise on executive functioning in young adults was replicated by Hillman et al [18] using the same task, and similar conclusions were reported by Boucard et al [19] in several executive tasks (e.g. Stroop, task switching, random generation, Simon).…”

Impact of different physical activities on executive functioning

“…Participants involved in aerobic physical activities (such as walking, Nordic Walking, swimming, cycling etc.) did show higher results in cognitive testing, which complies with the evidence given by Enzo Iuliano [16] or Geoffroy Boucard [3].…”

“…Research has shown that with aging there is a decrease in the brain volume, especially, in frontal, parietal and temporal cortices [2], which leads to decline in cognitive functioning, for example, there are indications of decline in executive functions [3,4].…”