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Greater habitual moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with better executive function and higher prefrontal oxygenation in older adults

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Abstract

International physical activity guidelines recommend that older adults accumulate 150 min/week of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). It is unclear whether meeting this recommendation is associated with better higher-order cognitive functions and if so, what are the neurophysiological mechanisms responsible for such a relationship. We tested the hypothesis that meeting MVPA guidelines is associated with better executive function in older adults, and explored if greater increases in prefrontal cortex oxygenation are implicated. Older adults who did (active, n = 19; 251 ± 79 min/week) or who did not (inactive, n = 16; 89 ± 33 min/week) achieve activity guidelines were compared. Executive function was determined via a computerized Stroop task while changes in left prefrontal cortex oxygenation (ΔO2Hb) were measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Aerobic fitness (\(\dot{VO}\) 2peak) was determined using a graded, maximal cycle ergometry test. MVPA and sedentary time were objectively assessed over 5 days. Both groups had similar (both, P > 0.11) levels of aerobic fitness (24.9 ± 8.9 vs. 20.9 ± 5.6 ml/kg/min) and sedentary time (529 ± 60 vs. 571 ± 90 min/day). The active group had faster reaction times (1193 ± 230 vs. 1377 ± 239 ms, P < 0.001) and greater increases in prefrontal cortex ΔO2Hb (9.4 ± 5.6 a.u vs. 5.8 ± 3.4 a.u, P = 0.04) during the most executively demanding Stroop condition than the Inactive group. Weekly MVPA was negatively correlated to executive function reaction times (r =  − 0.37, P = 0.03) but positively correlated to the ΔO2Hb responses (r = 0.39. P = 0.02) during the executive task. In older adults, meeting MVPA guidelines is associated with better executive function and larger increases in cerebral oxygenation among older adults.

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Funding

Support for the work was provided by a Dalhousie University, Faculty of Health Research Development grant (to D.S. Kimmerly), a Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) Development/Innovation grant (to D.S. Kimmerly and S. Mekary), as well as the Acadia University McCain Foundation Fund (to S. Mekary). M.W. O’Brien was supported by a Killam PreDoctoral Scholarship, Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada BrightRed Scholarship, a Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship, a Research Nova Scotia-Scotia Scholars Award, and Fredrick Banting and Charles Best CIHR Doctoral Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Kinesiology, School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Myles W. O’Brien & Derek S. Kimmerly

  2. School of Kinesiology, Acadia University, 550 Main Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6, Canada

    Said Mekari

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  1. Myles W. O’Brien
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Correspondence to Said Mekari.

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O’Brien, M.W., Kimmerly, D.S. & Mekari, S. Greater habitual moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with better executive function and higher prefrontal oxygenation in older adults. GeroScience 43, 2707–2718 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00391-5

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