Research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has uncovered that greater cardiorespiratory fitness in the elderly is tied to the safeguarding of several crucial aspects of cognitive ability that are prone to age-related deterioration.
What’s more, this connection remains valid regardless of two significant risk factors for cognitive decline: age and the presence of the high-risk APOE4 gene, the study results indicate.
Cardiorespiratory fitness serves as a physiological gauge of aerobic capacity and can be enhanced through regular aerobic exercise. While it has been associated with a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline and dementia, precisely which facets of cognition it impacts has been unclear.
Consequently, the researchers set out to ascertain whether cardiorespiratory fitness was correlated with key cognitive performance areas in 648 cognitively healthy individuals aged 65 to 80 (with an average age of 69).
Cardiorespiratory fitness was quantified as the peak oxygen consumption (VO2max) recorded during a graded treadmill running test. Cognitive ability, on the other hand, was evaluated based on the outcomes of a comprehensive set of validated neuropsychological tests administered over two days.
These tests incorporated multiple measures for each of five domains: processing speed; working memory; visuospatial processing; episodic memory; and executive function/attentional control, which encompasses planning and organizational skills.
The majority of participants were women (461, constituting 71%) and had amassed an average of 16 years of education. Approximately 15% reported using a beta-blocker, a medication for heart conditions.
On average, participants had a VO2max of 21.68 ml/kg/min. For men, a good VO2max typically ranges from 30–40 ml/kg/min, while for women, it’s 25–35 ml/kg/min.
Among the 640 participants who underwent genotyping, 174 (27%) were carriers of the APOE4 gene.
As anticipated, after factoring in sex, years of education, and body mass index (BMI), older age was linked to poorer performance across all five cognitive domains. In contrast, higher educational attainment corresponded to better performance.
However, a superior level of cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with enhanced performance in all five evaluated cognitive domains, irrespective of age and APOO4 gene carriage.
The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive performance was even more pronounced in women, those with fewer years of education, and those taking beta-blockers, particularly in the domains of processing speed and executive function/attentional control.
It’s important to note that this is an observational study, so definitive causal conclusions cannot be drawn. The researchers also concede that not all cognitive domains were examined—language, for example—and that participants were relatively inactive overall, limiting the range of observed fitness levels.
Nonetheless, they state: “These findings illustrate the extensive cognitive advantages linked to higher [cardiorespiratory fitness], and spotlight several critical elements that might shape the relationship between fitness and neurocognitive health in older adulthood.”
In an attempt to account for the discovered associations, the researchers propose that aerobic fitness might augment cerebral blood flow, mitigate oxidative stress, establish new synaptic connections, stimulate neuron growth, and strengthen neurotransmitter systems. It could also potentially modify the morphology and architecture of grey and white matter.
They further add that psychosocial factors related to cardiorespiratory fitness, such as mood elevation, fatigue reduction, and sleep improvement, might also have an impact on cognitive abilities.
In conclusion, they write: “These findings emphasize [cardiorespiratory fitness] as a vital health factor for maintaining multidomain cognitive functioning in older adulthood. Comprehending the modifiers of this relationship could assist in devising individualized exercise regimens that target [cardiorespiratory fitness] to optimize cognitive health during aging.”
Related topics
- High Vitamin D Doses Don’t Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
- Ketone Metabolism Redefines Protein Quality Control in Aging Brains
- Milk, Eggs, Fish Boost African Kids’ Growth
