Neuroscience
Exergaming and older adult cognition a cluster randomized clinical trial
Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):109-19
Anderson-Hanley C, Arciero PJ, Brickman AM, Nimon JP, Okuma N, Westen SC, Merz ME, Pence BD, Woods JA, Kramer AF, Zimmerman EA
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dementia cases may reach 100 million by 2050. Interventions are sought to curb or prevent cognitive decline. Exercise yields cognitive benefits, but few older adults exercise. Virtual reality-enhanced exercise or "exergames" may elicit greater participation.
PURPOSE: To test the following hypotheses: (1) stationary cycling with virtual reality tours ("cybercycle") will enhance executive function and clinical status more than traditional exercise; (2) exercise effort will explain improvement; and (3) brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) will increase.
DESIGN: Multi-site cluster randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the impact of 3 months of cybercycling versus traditional exercise, on cognitive function in older adults. Data were collected in 2008-2010; analyses were conducted in 2010-2011.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: 102 older adults from eight retirement communities enrolled; 79 were randomized and 63 completed.
INTERVENTIONS: A recumbent stationary ergometer was utilized; virtual reality tours and competitors were enabled on the cybercycle.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Executive function (Color Trails Difference, Stroop C, Digits Backward); clinical status (mild cognitive impairment; MCI); exercise effort/fitness; and plasma BDNF.
RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analyses, controlling for age, education, and cluster randomization, revealed a significant group X time interaction for composite executive function (p=0.002). Cybercycling yielded a medium effect over traditional exercise (d=0.50). Cybercyclists had a 23% relative risk reduction in clinical progression to MCI. Exercise effort and fitness were comparable, suggesting another underlying mechanism. A significant group X time interaction for BDNF (p=0.05) indicated enhanced neuroplasticity among cybercyclists.
CONCLUSIONS: Cybercycling older adults achieved better cognitive function than traditional exercisers, for the same effort, suggesting that simultaneous cognitive and physical exercise has greater potential for preventing cognitive decline.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.govNCT01167400.
PMID: 22261206 [PubMed - in process]
- Just Remember The Benefits Of Exercise
Michael Greenberg, who wrote a memoir recently about his daughter's experience of bipolar disorder, has now written a fascinating review in the New York Review of Books (NYRoB) of a new tome on memory "Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News...
- High Impact Exercise
Initial results from The IMPACT Study (Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training) were presented at a recent conference, as touted in this press release: New Research on Aging and Cognitive Training Researchers released...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Aging
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- More On The Active Study
From an NIH press release: EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE Tuesday, December 19, 2006 4:00 PM ET NIA CONTACT: Susan Farrer or Linda Joy 301- 496-1752 NINR CONTACT: Lanny Newman 301-496-0209 Mental Exercise Helps Maintain Some Seniors’ Thinking Skills Certain...
- Abstract Of The Day: Executive Task Performance And Functional Status In Elderly Persons
Rapp MA, Schnaider Beeri M, Schmeidler J, Sano M, Silverman JM, Haroutunian V. Relationship of neuropsychological performance to functional status in nursing home residents and community-dwelling older adults. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry....
Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Preventing Cognitive Decline
Exergaming and older adult cognition a cluster randomized clinical trial
Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):109-19
Anderson-Hanley C, Arciero PJ, Brickman AM, Nimon JP, Okuma N, Westen SC, Merz ME, Pence BD, Woods JA, Kramer AF, Zimmerman EA
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dementia cases may reach 100 million by 2050. Interventions are sought to curb or prevent cognitive decline. Exercise yields cognitive benefits, but few older adults exercise. Virtual reality-enhanced exercise or "exergames" may elicit greater participation.
PURPOSE: To test the following hypotheses: (1) stationary cycling with virtual reality tours ("cybercycle") will enhance executive function and clinical status more than traditional exercise; (2) exercise effort will explain improvement; and (3) brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) will increase.
DESIGN: Multi-site cluster randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the impact of 3 months of cybercycling versus traditional exercise, on cognitive function in older adults. Data were collected in 2008-2010; analyses were conducted in 2010-2011.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: 102 older adults from eight retirement communities enrolled; 79 were randomized and 63 completed.
INTERVENTIONS: A recumbent stationary ergometer was utilized; virtual reality tours and competitors were enabled on the cybercycle.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Executive function (Color Trails Difference, Stroop C, Digits Backward); clinical status (mild cognitive impairment; MCI); exercise effort/fitness; and plasma BDNF.
RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analyses, controlling for age, education, and cluster randomization, revealed a significant group X time interaction for composite executive function (p=0.002). Cybercycling yielded a medium effect over traditional exercise (d=0.50). Cybercyclists had a 23% relative risk reduction in clinical progression to MCI. Exercise effort and fitness were comparable, suggesting another underlying mechanism. A significant group X time interaction for BDNF (p=0.05) indicated enhanced neuroplasticity among cybercyclists.
CONCLUSIONS: Cybercycling older adults achieved better cognitive function than traditional exercisers, for the same effort, suggesting that simultaneous cognitive and physical exercise has greater potential for preventing cognitive decline.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.govNCT01167400.
PMID: 22261206 [PubMed - in process]
- Just Remember The Benefits Of Exercise
Michael Greenberg, who wrote a memoir recently about his daughter's experience of bipolar disorder, has now written a fascinating review in the New York Review of Books (NYRoB) of a new tome on memory "Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News...
- High Impact Exercise
Initial results from The IMPACT Study (Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training) were presented at a recent conference, as touted in this press release: New Research on Aging and Cognitive Training Researchers released...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Aging
Physical Activity and Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Oldest-Old Women. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2013 Jul 3; Wang S, Luo X, Barnes D, Sano M, & Yaffe K.AbstractOBJECTIVES: Physical activity may reduce the risk of cognitive decline...
- More On The Active Study
From an NIH press release: EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE Tuesday, December 19, 2006 4:00 PM ET NIA CONTACT: Susan Farrer or Linda Joy 301- 496-1752 NINR CONTACT: Lanny Newman 301-496-0209 Mental Exercise Helps Maintain Some Seniors’ Thinking Skills Certain...
- Abstract Of The Day: Executive Task Performance And Functional Status In Elderly Persons
Rapp MA, Schnaider Beeri M, Schmeidler J, Sano M, Silverman JM, Haroutunian V. Relationship of neuropsychological performance to functional status in nursing home residents and community-dwelling older adults. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry....