<p>Cognitive functioning enhancement in older adults: is there an advantage of multicomponent training over Nordic walking?</p>

Abstract

IntroductionWe compared Nordic walking training (NW) to a multicomponent training (MCT) program of an equivalent intensity, in older adults. Our main hypothesis was that MCT would result in larger effects on cognitive processes than NW.MethodsThirty-nine healthy older adults, divided into two groups (NW and MCT), took part in the study (17 males, 22 females, mean age =70.8±0.8 years). They were tested for cardiovascular fitness, motor fitness and cognitive performance during the two weeks preceding and following the 12-week training session (3 times/week), respectively. For both the NW and MCT interventions, the training sessions were supervised by a trainer. Heart rate of participants was monitored during the sessions and then used to make training loads as similar as possible between the two groups (TRaining IMPulse method).ResultsResults showed that training resulted in better performance for cardiovascular and motor fitness tests. Among these tests, only two revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The NW group progressed more than the MCT group in the 30 Seconds Chair Stand test, while in the One Leg Stance test, the MCT group progressed more. For the cognitive assessment, a significant effect of training was found for executive functions, spatial memory score, and information processing speed response time, with no differences between the two groups.ConclusionThe study confirmed that physical exercise has a positive impact on cognitive processes with no advantage of MCT intervention over NW training. A possible reason is that NW intervention not only improved cardiovascular capacities, but also motor fitness, including coordination capacities.

Comparison of Three Physical—Cognitive Training Programs in Healthy Older Adults: A Study Protocol for a Monocentric Randomized Trial

“…Indeed, it has been previously demonstrated that coordination training specifically impacts visuospatial capacities [ 12 , 14 ]. With respect to physical fitness, reflected by cardiovascular capacities, in accordance with Temprado and colleagues’ [ 27 ] study, it is expected that all three groups will improve their cardiovascular capacities. This could occur if the mean level of effort, indexed by mean heart rate calculated during the different sessions for the three training programs, is roughly equivalent [ 27 ].…”

“…Walking sticks will be provided by the coach to participants. As in our previous study [ 27 ], the coach will progressively increase the level of difficulty over the 8 weeks, trying to individualize, as far as possible, the requested effort level while managing the whole group in the nature park. The participants will be following the coach, who shows the way and adapts the walking speed and difficulty.…”

“…Cognitive performance, muscular force, cardiovascular and motor fitness will be assessed before and after the 8 weeks of training. Data collected with the heart rate monitors will be also analyzed, in order to estimate the average intensity of the training interventions (see [ 27 ], for a similar procedure).…”

“…Consequently, it can also be hypothesized that combining cardiovascular (aerobic) and complex motor movement training should be a more effective way to improve cognitive functions [ 25 , 26 ]. This issue was addressed in a previous study [ 27 ] by comparing the effects of Nordic walking training (NW), mainly relying on aerobic exercise [ 28 , 29 ], and those of a circuit training program (CT) combining aerobic exercise and complex motor skills. While NW was expected to induce significant benefits on cognition via exercising cardio-respiratory capacities and muscular strength, CT was conceived to allow practicing complex motor skills in combination with aerobic exercise, and then, to capitalize on the coalition of their respective effects on cognition.…”

“…Herold and colleagues [ 30 ] hypothesized that MwT training could be more effective than other training conditions (i.e., aerobic alone or complex motor tasks performed either in single or dual-task condition) since there are closer to cognitive and motor requirements of real-life situations (see Raichlen and Alexander [ 35 ] for a similar point of view). Therefore, capitalizing on our previous study [ 27 ], the purpose of the present experiment is to compare the effects on physical and cognitive capacities of the NW training program and those of two different circuit training, based on TwM and MwT task conditions, respectively. In the circuit training based on TwM conditions (henceforth, CT-c), cognitive processes are loaded thanks to the inclusion of complex whole-body and interlimb coordinated movements performed in single or dual-task situations.…”