Abstract
This study examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness influences cognitive ageing and whether this influence is domain specific. A cross-sectional design comprising 25 young (18–30 years), 25 young-old (65–74 years), 25 middle-old (75–84 years) and 25 old-old adults (85–92 years) compared the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) and measures of processing resources (attention, working memory, speed) and higher-order cognitive functions (executive function, memory). Fitness was a strong predictor of cognition and accounted for more variance in processing resources than in higher-order functions. This suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness may have a selective protective effect against age-associated cognitive decline.
We gratefully acknowledge the participation of all of the men and women who volunteered for this study. This research was funded by a RM Gibson Scientific Research Fund grant from the Australian Association of Gerontology.
Notes
We gratefully acknowledge the participation of all of the men and women who volunteered for this study. This research was funded by a RM Gibson Scientific Research Fund grant from the Australian Association of Gerontology.
aSignificant age group difference.
1A lower score indicates higher performance *p < .05. **p < .01 ***p < .001. Means with common subscripts are not significantly different based on p < .05.
*p < .05.
**p < .01.
***p < .001.
*p < .05.
**p < .01
***p < .001.
Hardbarger, V.D. (2002). Predicting working memory scores with current physical activity levels by gender and age. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Arkansas, United States.