Cited by 282Physical Activity and HealthDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAging and Gerontology Research

Physical and motor fitness are both related to cognition in old age

Voelcker‐Rehage, Claudia, Godde, Ben, Staudinger, Ursula M.·2010·European Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

The benefits of fitness for cognitive performance in healthy older adults have repeatedly been demonstrated. Animal studies, however, have revealed differential relationships between physical and motor fitness and brain metabolism. We therefore investigated whether for older humans different dimensions of fitness are differentially associated with cognitive performance and brain activation patterns. Seventy‐two participants (mean age 68.99 years, SD = 3.66; 52 females) completed four psychometric tests reflecting two primary abilities of higher cognitive functioning (executive control, perceptual speed) and a battery of fitness tests comprising two fitness dimensions (physical and motor fitness). We found that not only physical fitness indexed by cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, but also motor fitness including movement speed, balance, motor coordination and flexibility showed a strong association with cognitive functioning. Additionally, functional brain imaging data revealed that physical and motor fitness were differentially related to cognitive processes. Results are discussed with regard to the compensation hypothesis and potential consequences for intervention work.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07014.x

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  • Physical exercise and higher fitness levels are associated with a reduced loss of hippocampal, gray, and white matter volume with aging.

    “Imaging studies indicate that physical exercise and higher fitness levels are associated with a reduced loss of hippocampal, gray and white matter volume with aging [34, 56, 57, 90, 189].”

    From The neuropathology of sport (2014) · cites this paper as [189]

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Authors
Voelcker‐Rehage, C., Godde, B., & Staudinger, U. M.
Affiliations
Constructor University (DE)
Venue
European Journal of Neuroscience
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2009-12-24
Volume
31
Issue
1
Pages
167-176
ISSN
  • 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-9568
OpenAlex
W2138186223
Cited by
282
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 14
FWCI
7.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Robert Bosch Stiftung
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Keywords
physical fitness, motor fitness, cognitive aging, older adults, executive function, perceptual speed, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, balance, motor coordination, flexibility, brain activation, compensation hypothesis
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Cognition, Postural Balance, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Activity, Neuropsychological Tests, Physical Fitness, Psychometrics, Psychomotor Performance, Pliability, Muscle Strength, Executive Function

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