Cognitive functioning enhancement in older adults: is there an advantage of multicomponent training over Nordic walking?

Abstract

Introduction

We compared Nordic walking training (NW) to a multicomponent training (MCT) program of an equivalent intensity, in older adults. Our main hypothesis was that MCT would result in larger effects on cognitive processes than NW.

Methods

Thirty-nine healthy older adults, divided into two groups (NW and MCT), took part in the study (17 males, 22 females, mean age =70.8±0.8 years). They were tested for cardiovascular fitness, motor fitness and cognitive performance during the two weeks preceding and following the 12-week training session (3 times/week), respectively. For both the NW and MCT interventions, the training sessions were supervised by a trainer. Heart rate of participants was monitored during the sessions and then used to make training loads as similar as possible between the two groups (TRaining IMPulse method).

Results

Results showed that training resulted in better performance for cardiovascular and motor fitness tests. Among these tests, only two revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The NW group progressed more than the MCT group in the 30 Seconds Chair Stand test, while in the One Leg Stance test, the MCT group progressed more. For the cognitive assessment, a significant effect of training was found for executive functions, spatial memory score, and information processing speed response time, with no differences between the two groups.

Conclusion

The study confirmed that physical exercise has a positive impact on cognitive processes with no advantage of MCT intervention over NW training. A possible reason is that NW intervention not only improved cardiovascular capacities, but also motor fitness, including coordination capacities.

Keywords:

• aerobic training
• cognition
• motor fitness
• Nordic walking
• multicomponent training
• aging

Acknowledgments

The present study was financially supported by AG2R-LA MONDIALE. Medical screening was done by doctors of the Sport Medicine Department of Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille (JM Coudreuse and D Marziale) and Hôpital Européen (G Lagrange). We thank Jean-Pierre Camm, Matthieu Gonet, Isabelle Petit and the Stade Marseillais Université Club for the implementation and supervision of physical activity programs. We express our gratitude to the participants.

Author Contributions

JJ Temprado and E Loddo wrote the first draft of the paper. All the authors contributed to data recording, data analysis, and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflict of interests in this work.