Improvement of Cognitive Function by Mental and/or Individualized Aerobic Training in Healthy Elderly Subjects
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of aerobic and mental training on cognitive function and to determine if the association of the two techniques shows better results. Thirty-two healthy elderly subjects (60 - 76 years) were assigned to one of four groups: aerobic training, mental training, combined aerobic and mental training and a control group. All subjects took two cognitive tests and an incremental exercise test before and after the training period. The intensity of exercise was individualized at the heart rate corresponding to the ventilatory threshold of each subject. After two months, the control group showed no alteration in physiological and cognitive variables. After the training period, the results showed a significant improvement in VO(2)max (F = 4.45, DF = 1, p < 0.05) of 12 % and 11 % in aerobic training and combined aerobic and mental training groups, respectively. Logical memory (F = 4.31, DF = 1, p < 0.05), as well as paired associates learning scores (F = 5.47, DF = 1, p < 0.05) and memory quotient (F = 6.52, DF = 1, p < 0.01) were significantly improved in the three trained groups. The mean difference in memory quotient between pre and post training was significantly higher in the combined aerobic and mental training group compared to aerobic training or mental training groups (F = 11.60, DF = 3, p < 0.001). We conclude that the specific aerobic training and mental training used in this study could induce the same degree of improvement in cog…
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In Fabre et al. (2002), benefits were largest for the combined-training group.
“However, in this experiment, benefits were largest for the combined-training group.”
From Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development: Can the Functional Capacity of Older Adults Be Preserved and Enhanced? (2008) · cites this paper as Fabre, Charmi, Mucci, Masse-Biron, and Prefaut (2002)
Fabre et al. (2002) found improvements in a general memory metric in all three training groups.
“Results indicated improvements in a general memory metric in all three of the training groups.”
From Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development: Can the Functional Capacity of Older Adults Be Preserved and Enhanced? (2008) · cites this paper as Fabre, Charmi, Mucci, Masse-Biron, and Prefaut (2002)
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- Authors
- Fabre, C., Chamari, K., Mucci, P., Massé-Biron, J., & Préfaut, C.
- Affiliations
- Université de Lille (FR)
- Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital (QA)
- Venue
- International Journal of Sports Medicine
- Publisher
- Georg Thieme Verlag KG
- Published
- 2002-08
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 415-421
- ISSN
- 0172-4622 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-3964
- OpenAlex
- W1977466344
- Cited by
- 416
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 13.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- LillOA (Université de Lille (University Of Lille)) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Université de Montpellier
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- aerobic exercise, mental training, cognitive function, older adults, concurrent training, memory, logical memory, paired-associate learning, memory quotient, ventilatory threshold, heart rate, VO2max, exercise training
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aging, Cognition, Humans, Middle Aged, Physical Education and Training, Exercise
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