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Effects of Exergaming and Resistance Training on Reaction time and Intraindividual Variability in Older Adults: a Randomized Clinical Trial

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Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effects of exergaming and resistance training on reaction time in older adults and to investigate intraindividual variability in reaction time. Thirty-six participants (62.1 ± 7.1 years), randomly assigned to exergaming (n = 17) or resistance training (n = 19) groups, underwent two protocols of physical training carried out three times a week for 13 weeks. The exergaming program was based on games from Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures collections using a console Xbox 360 Kinect. In the resistance-training program, each session consisted of ten full-body exercises using free weights and weight machines. Outcomes were reaction time in simple (finger-press test) and complex (Stroop test) tasks and intraindividual variability. A mixed model analysis of variance was conducted, and effects sizes were calculated. Interactions effects revealed no significant differences between groups before and after 13 weeks of training. Regarding the main effects, only the exergaming group showed a significant (p = 0.041) and relevant decrease in reaction time in a complex task (neutral test) when compared to the pre- (1854 ± 732 ms) and post-tests (1530 ± 521 ms). The resistance-training group showed a trend (relevant effect size) of improvement in intraindividual variability in reaction time. These results suggest that both interventions could benefit the cognitive function of older adults. Exergaming improves the reaction time in a complex task, and resistance training improves the intraindividual variability. However, exergaming was not superior to resistance training in any of the outcomes. Trial Registration: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-7fh22d/) on 06/07/2019, retrospectively registered.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants for engaging in this study.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. The funding source was not involved in the conduction of the research neither in the preparation of the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Physical Education, School of Sports, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil

    Vandrize Meneghini & Camilo Luis Monteiro Lourenço

  2. Department of Physical Education, School of Sports, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil

    Aline Rodrigues Barbosa

  3. School of Technology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil

    Adriano Ferreti Borgatto

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  1. Vandrize Meneghini
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  2. Aline Rodrigues Barbosa
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  3. Camilo Luis Monteiro Lourenço
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  4. Adriano Ferreti Borgatto
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Contributions

Vandrize Meneghini: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – Review & Editing. Aline Rodrigues Barbosa: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing, Supervision, Project Administration. Camilo Luis Monteiro Lourenço: Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Review & Editing. Adriano Ferreti Borgatto: Formal analysis, Writing – Review & Editing.

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Correspondence to Vandrize Meneghini.

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Ethical Treatment of Experimental Subjects (Animal and Human)

No experimental treatment was conducted on either human or animal subjects in this study.

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The study was approved by the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Ethical Committee, nº 64415516.8.0000.0121, on 25/05/2017. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Meneghini, V., Barbosa, A.R., Lourenço, C.L.M. et al. Effects of Exergaming and Resistance Training on Reaction time and Intraindividual Variability in Older Adults: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Ageing Int 48, 547–562 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-022-09491-9

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