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Physical Exercise and Brain Functions in Older Adults

Physical Exercise and Brain Functions in Older Adults Hindawi Publishing Corporation Journal of Aging Research Volume 2013, Article ID 197326, 2 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/197326 Editorial 1,2 3 4,5 Louis Bherer, Kirk I. Erickson, and Teresa Liu-Ambrose PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada Research Center, Institut Universitaire de Ger ´ iatrie de Montrea ´ l, Montreal, QC, Canada Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada Correspondence should be addressed to Louis Bherer; louis.bherer@concordia.ca Received 5 August 2013; Accepted 5 August 2013 Copyright © 2013 Louis Bherer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Studies suggest that regular physical activity can help main- training, or balance and tone (control). Both exercise groups tain and enhance brain functions in older adults. However, showed significant improvements in memory performance, we still do not understand how physical activity impacts the which was not observed in controls. rate of cognitive decline. One major issue is whether physical An original study of this special issue explored the bene- activity broadly defined (i.e., activity that is part of one’s tfi s of swimming on cognition in older adults. A. Abou-Dest daily life involving bodily movements and the use of skeletal et al. compared three groups of sixteen volunteer participants muscles) or structured exercise (i.e., physical activity that (young adults, sedentary older adults, and older adults who is planned, structured, and purposive to improve physical regularly practice swimming) on a battery of cognitive tasks. tfi ness) leads to the same benefits in preventing age-related They reported that in older adults, regular swimming was cognitive decline. More studies are needed to appreciate the related to better performance on executive functions but not level of change or protection provided by physical activity, the on information processing speed. eTh selective benefit of basic mechanisms by which this change occurs, and whether exercise on executive control tasks was also reported aer ft physical activity can be beneficial despite chronic medical only 3 months of exercise intervention in a study of this conditions and neurological or geriatric syndromes. special issue by D. Predovan et al. compared to controls, the Thisspecial issuepresentsoriginalresearchresults that training group showed significant improvements in physical bring additional support to the notion that physical exercise capacity and enhanced Stroop performance, but only in the is an efficient nonpharmaceutical approach that can be used inhibition/switching condition, and the increase in aerobic to enhance and maintain cognitive functions in healthy capacity induced by the training regimen correlated nega- older adults and patients suffering from mild cognitive tively with reaction time in the inhibition/switching condi- impairment. In a paper, we propose a brief review of the tion of the Stroop task at posttest. Importantly, the reported main impacts of exercise on cognition in older adults, gains in cognitive performance were observed aeft r only frail patients, and those with mild cognitive impairment three months of physical training. The complex interaction and dementia. Another paper of this special issue brings between bodily exercise and cognition also calls into question important knowledge in this regard. L. S. Nagamatsu et al. the impact that mobility and gait might have on cognition showed that physical activity helps improve verbal and in older adults. P. Plummer-D’Amato et al. addressed this spatial memory in older adults with probable mild cognitive issue in a contribution to this special issue. Studying how gait impairment. In this study, eighty-six women aged 70–80 difficulty and cognitive task difficulty impact cognitive-motor years with subjective memory complaints completed one of interference in aging, they showed that gait task difficulty three interventions for 6 months: resistance training, aerobic influences dual-task eeff cts on gait speed, especially in older 2 Journal of Aging Research adults, and that this eect ff is inu fl enced by the dicul ffi ty of the cognitive task. Another paper of the special issue brings up important issues on the potential moderators of physical activity on brain functions. R. L. Leckie et al. demonstrated how genes (APOE, BDNF, and COMT) along with dietary omega-3 fatty acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are potential moderators of the effect of physical activity on brain health. R. L. Leckie et al.’s proposal calls for further studies on the role of genes and dietary factors in the relationship between physical exercise and cognitive functions in older adults populations. All together, the studies published in this special issue bring additional scientific support to the notion that physical activity and exercise are a promising approach to alleviatethe age-relatedimpactonthe body andmind. By doing so, they also support the promotion of health policies that should target inactivity in individuals of all ages and with any medical condition who are able to safely participate in physical activity. Acknowledgment Louis Bherer and Teresa Liu-Ambrose are supported by the Canadian Research Chair Program. Louis Bherer Kirk I. Erickson Teresa Liu-Ambrose MEDIATORS of INFLAMMATION The Scientific Gastroenterology Journal of World Journal Research and Practice Diabetes Research Disease Markers Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 International Journal of Journal of Immunology Research Endocrinology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Submit your manuscripts at http://www.hindawi.com BioMed PPAR Research Research International Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Journal of Obesity Evidence-Based Journal of Journal of Stem Cells Complementary and Ophthalmology International Alternative Medicine Oncology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Parkinson’s Disease Computational and Behavioural Mathematical Methods AIDS Oxidative Medicine and in Medicine Research and Treatment Cellular Longevity Neurology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Aging Research Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Physical Exercise and Brain Functions in Older Adults

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Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Louis Bherer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
ISSN
2090-2204
eISSN
2090-2212
DOI
10.1155/2013/197326
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Hindawi Publishing Corporation Journal of Aging Research Volume 2013, Article ID 197326, 2 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/197326 Editorial 1,2 3 4,5 Louis Bherer, Kirk I. Erickson, and Teresa Liu-Ambrose PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada Research Center, Institut Universitaire de Ger ´ iatrie de Montrea ´ l, Montreal, QC, Canada Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada Correspondence should be addressed to Louis Bherer; louis.bherer@concordia.ca Received 5 August 2013; Accepted 5 August 2013 Copyright © 2013 Louis Bherer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Studies suggest that regular physical activity can help main- training, or balance and tone (control). Both exercise groups tain and enhance brain functions in older adults. However, showed significant improvements in memory performance, we still do not understand how physical activity impacts the which was not observed in controls. rate of cognitive decline. One major issue is whether physical An original study of this special issue explored the bene- activity broadly defined (i.e., activity that is part of one’s tfi s of swimming on cognition in older adults. A. Abou-Dest daily life involving bodily movements and the use of skeletal et al. compared three groups of sixteen volunteer participants muscles) or structured exercise (i.e., physical activity that (young adults, sedentary older adults, and older adults who is planned, structured, and purposive to improve physical regularly practice swimming) on a battery of cognitive tasks. tfi ness) leads to the same benefits in preventing age-related They reported that in older adults, regular swimming was cognitive decline. More studies are needed to appreciate the related to better performance on executive functions but not level of change or protection provided by physical activity, the on information processing speed. eTh selective benefit of basic mechanisms by which this change occurs, and whether exercise on executive control tasks was also reported aer ft physical activity can be beneficial despite chronic medical only 3 months of exercise intervention in a study of this conditions and neurological or geriatric syndromes. special issue by D. Predovan et al. compared to controls, the Thisspecial issuepresentsoriginalresearchresults that training group showed significant improvements in physical bring additional support to the notion that physical exercise capacity and enhanced Stroop performance, but only in the is an efficient nonpharmaceutical approach that can be used inhibition/switching condition, and the increase in aerobic to enhance and maintain cognitive functions in healthy capacity induced by the training regimen correlated nega- older adults and patients suffering from mild cognitive tively with reaction time in the inhibition/switching condi- impairment. In a paper, we propose a brief review of the tion of the Stroop task at posttest. Importantly, the reported main impacts of exercise on cognition in older adults, gains in cognitive performance were observed aeft r only frail patients, and those with mild cognitive impairment three months of physical training. The complex interaction and dementia. Another paper of this special issue brings between bodily exercise and cognition also calls into question important knowledge in this regard. L. S. Nagamatsu et al. the impact that mobility and gait might have on cognition showed that physical activity helps improve verbal and in older adults. P. Plummer-D’Amato et al. addressed this spatial memory in older adults with probable mild cognitive issue in a contribution to this special issue. Studying how gait impairment. In this study, eighty-six women aged 70–80 difficulty and cognitive task difficulty impact cognitive-motor years with subjective memory complaints completed one of interference in aging, they showed that gait task difficulty three interventions for 6 months: resistance training, aerobic influences dual-task eeff cts on gait speed, especially in older 2 Journal of Aging Research adults, and that this eect ff is inu fl enced by the dicul ffi ty of the cognitive task. Another paper of the special issue brings up important issues on the potential moderators of physical activity on brain functions. R. L. Leckie et al. demonstrated how genes (APOE, BDNF, and COMT) along with dietary omega-3 fatty acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are potential moderators of the effect of physical activity on brain health. R. L. Leckie et al.’s proposal calls for further studies on the role of genes and dietary factors in the relationship between physical exercise and cognitive functions in older adults populations. All together, the studies published in this special issue bring additional scientific support to the notion that physical activity and exercise are a promising approach to alleviatethe age-relatedimpactonthe body andmind. By doing so, they also support the promotion of health policies that should target inactivity in individuals of all ages and with any medical condition who are able to safely participate in physical activity. Acknowledgment Louis Bherer and Teresa Liu-Ambrose are supported by the Canadian Research Chair Program. Louis Bherer Kirk I. Erickson Teresa Liu-Ambrose MEDIATORS of INFLAMMATION The Scientific Gastroenterology Journal of World Journal Research and Practice Diabetes Research Disease Markers Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 International Journal of Journal of Immunology Research Endocrinology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Submit your manuscripts at http://www.hindawi.com BioMed PPAR Research Research International Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Journal of Obesity Evidence-Based Journal of Journal of Stem Cells Complementary and Ophthalmology International Alternative Medicine Oncology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 Parkinson’s Disease Computational and Behavioural Mathematical Methods AIDS Oxidative Medicine and in Medicine Research and Treatment Cellular Longevity Neurology Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014

Journal

Journal of Aging ResearchHindawi Publishing Corporation

Published: Sep 17, 2013

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