The Effect of a Single Session of Balance and Coordination Training on Cognitive Function in Older Adults

The cognitive decline that is characteristic of older adults has led researchers to seek methods for improving cognitive functions in this population in the short and long term. One broadly studied aspect relates to physical activity interventions and their impact on cognitive functions in older adu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2023-03, Vol.13 (6), p.3598
Main Authors: Dunsky, Ayelet, Unger, Liat, Carasso, Refael, Fox, Orly
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Adults
Aerobics
Aging
Attention
balance and coordination
Catecholamines
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive ability
Comparative analysis
Coordination
Executive function
Exercise
Laboratories
Language
Memory
older adults
Older people
Performance evaluation
Physical activity
Physical fitness
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Summary:The cognitive decline that is characteristic of older adults has led researchers to seek methods for improving cognitive functions in this population in the short and long term. One broadly studied aspect relates to physical activity interventions and their impact on cognitive functions in older adults. This study examines the effect of a single session of balance and coordination exercises on the cognitive functions in older adults compared to that of a single session of aerobic exercises or a single control session of reading. The study included 30 physically active participants (23 females), with an average age of 73 (±5) years. The participants completed computerized cognitive tests to assess attention and executive functions in five separate sessions: two without interventions and three with interventions (aerobic exercise; balance and coordination and reading while sitting). The interval between each session was at least two weeks. The order of interventions between participants was random. While no differences were seen between the three types of intervention in executive function scores, our findings indicate that a single session of aerobic exercises and a single session of balance and coordination exercises led to higher scores on the attention test than in the control condition. This suggests that older adults may benefit from a single 30-min session of aerobic exercises or balance and coordination exercises prior to performing attention-demanding tasks.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app13063598