Effects of Two Short-Term Aerobic Exercises on Cognitive Function in Healthy Older Adults during COVID-19 Confinement in Japan: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Atsuko Miyazaki, Takashi Okuyama, Hayato Mori, Kazuhisa Sato, Keigo Kumamoto and Atsushi Hiyama
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Atsuko Miyazaki: Information Somatics Laboratory, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
Takashi Okuyama: Information Somatics Laboratory, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
Hayato Mori: Super Reha, LLC., Tokyo 198-0074, Japan
Kazuhisa Sato: Care 21 Co., Ltd., Osaka 530-0003, Japan
Keigo Kumamoto: General Education Center, Nagano University of Health and Medicine, Nagano 381-2227, Japan
Atsushi Hiyama: Information Somatics Laboratory, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-29

Abstract: Aerobic exercise improves executive function—which tends to decline with age—and dual-task training with aerobic exercise improves the global cognitive function. However, home-based older adults could not follow these programs due to social isolation during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Therefore, we conducted a single-blind randomized controlled trial with 88 healthy older adults without dementia or sarcopenia who were randomly assigned into the Nordic walking (aerobic exercise), dance (dual-task training with aerobic exercise), or control group. The participants in both exercise intervention groups trained for 30 min, three times per week, for 4 weeks. All groups consumed amino acid-containing foods three times per week. We found that both exercise intervention groups showed improvements in executive function, while the dance group showed additional improvement in global cognitive function. The dance group showed a higher maximum gait speed, greater improvement in imitation ability, and improved executive function and cognitive function than the Nordic walking group. The intervention programs did not significantly affect the muscle mass or muscle output than the control group; however, both programs improved the participant neurological functions such as the heel lift, with dance training being the most effective intervention. In conclusion, dance training effectively improves cognitive function.

Keywords: aerobic exercise; cognitive function; COVID-19; dancing; Nordic walking; older adults; physical function; body composition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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