Acute Effects of Low- and High-Speed Resistance Exercise on Cognitive Function in Frail Older Nursing-Home Residents: A Randomized Crossover Study

Aim. The present study investigated the acute effects of low- and high-speed resistance exercise on the cognitive function of frail older women living in nursing home. Materials and Methods. Ten institutionalized frail older women were recruited. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Stroop test were performed before, immediately after, 1 h after, and 24 h after the end of the experimental session. Participants randomly performed low- and high-speed resistance exercise and a control session. Exercise sessions were composed of 4 resistance exercises with 4–8 sets of 4–10 repetitions at moderate intensity. Results. Results indicated that the performance of Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test was similarly increased immediately after both low- and high-speed resistance exercises. However, only improvements elicited by low-speed resistance exercise remained significant 1 h after the end of the exercise session. No acute effects of resistance exercise were observed on Stroop performance. Conclusion. Our findings indicated that both low- and high-speed resistance exercises acutely increased episodic memory in frail older women, whereas no changes on Stroop were observed.

Longitudinal Associations of Midlife Accelerometer Determined Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity With Cognitive Function: The CARDIA Study

Background To determine if accelerometer measured sedentary behavior (SED), light‐intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate‐to‐vigorous–intensity physical activity (MVPA) in midlife is prospectively associated with cognitive function. Methods and Results Participants were 1970 adults enrolled in the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study who wore an accelerometer in 2005 to 2006 (ages 38–50 years) and had cognitive function assessments completed 5 and/or 10 years later. SED, LPA, and MVPA were measured by an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer. Cognitive function tests included the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop Test. Compositional isotemporal substitution analysis examined associations of SED, LPA, and MVPA with repeated measures of the cognitive function standardized scores. In men, statistical reallocation of 30 minutes of LPA with 30 minutes of MVPA resulted in an estimated difference of SD 0.07 (95% CI, 0.01–0.14), SD 0.09 (95% CI, 0.02–0.17), and SD −0.11 (95% CI, −0.19 to −0.04) in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop scores, respectively, indicating better performance. Associations were similar when reallocating time in SED with MVPA, but results were less robust. Reallocation of time in SED with LPA resulted in an estimated difference of SD −0.05 (95% CI, −0.06 to −0.03), SD −0.03 (95% CI, −0.05 to −0.01), and SD 0.05 (95% CI, 0.03– 0.07) in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop scores, respectively, indicating worse performance. Associations were largely nonsignificant among women. Conclusions Our findings support the idea that for men, higher‐intensity activities (MVPA) may be necessary in midlife to observe beneficial associations with cognition.

Known-Groups and Convergent Validity of the Telephone Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test total Learning Scores for Distinguishing Between Older Adults With Amnestic Cognitive Impairment and Subjective Cognitive Decline

Objective To examine known-groups validity of a telephone administration of the total learning scores of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) in discriminating between people with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and convergent validity of the telephone-RAVLT. Method In total, 83 older adults (age = 71.4 ± 7.0) with SCD or aMCI completed the RAVLT learning trials over the telephone and the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) in-person. Results Telephone-RAVLT total recall significantly correlated with HVLT total recall (r = .49, p < .001). Significant between group differences were found (effect size = 0.94). Conclusions This study provides support for known-groups and convergent validity of the telephone-RAVLT.