Effects of a single bout of walking on psychophysiologic responses and executive function in elderly adults: a pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic characteristics of participants (means ± standard deviation)

	Men (n = 10)	Women (n = 10)
Age (years)	71.70 ± 3.2	69.3 ± 3.2
Body height (cm)	166.80 ± 5.2	156.30 ± 2.7
Body weight (kg)	63.30 ± 8.4	52.98 ± 8.3
BMI (kg/m^2)	22.72 ± 2.7	21.84 ± 3.1

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Mood measurements (means ± standard deviation) for POMS before and after walking

	TA	D	AH	V	F	C
Before walking	46.45 ± 8.5	46.45 ± 6.2	44.35 ± 6.5	49.65 ± 8.0	43.65 ± 7.0	50.15 ± 8.8
After walking	41.75 ± 6.2***	44.50 ± 5.1	41.25 ± 4.7*	50.65 ± 10.9	42.55 ± 4.8	46.15 ± 6.6**

Notes: A significant difference between before and after walking

* P, 0.05

** P, 0.01

*** P, 0.001.

Abbreviations: POMS, profile of mood states; TA, tension-anxiety; D, depression; AH, anger-hostility; V, vigor; F, fatigue; C, confusion.

Table 3 sAA activities and WCST scores (means ± standard deviation) before and after walking

	sAA (kU/I)	WCST
		CA	TE	PEN
Before walking	90.80 ± 89.3	4.20 ± 1.4	17.15 ± 6.1	4.00 ± 3.0
After walking	93.60 ± 50.9	4.80 ± 1.4	14.30 ± 4.9	3.25 ± 3.2

Abbreviations: sAA, salivary α-amylase; WCST, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; CA, category achievement; TE, total errors; PEN, perseverative errors of Nelson.

Figure 1 Scatter plots of the correlations between ΔsAA and ΔTE on the WCST.

Notes: A significant correlation between ΔsAA and ΔTE was found**** (ρ = 0.516, P < 0.05). ΔsAA = prewalking and postwalking changes in sAA activities. ΔTE = prewalking and postwalking changes in TE on the WCST.

Abbreviations: sAA, salivary α-amylase; TE, total errors; WCST, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

Figure 2 Scatter plots of the correlations between ΔsAA and ΔPEN on the WCST.

Notes: A significant correlation ΔsAA and ΔPEN was found (ρ = 0.650, P < 0.01). ΔsAA = prewalking and postwalking changes in sAA activities. ΔPEN = prewalking and postwalking changes in PEN of the WCST.
Abbreviations: sAA, salivary alpha-amylase; PEN, perseverative errors of Nelson; WCST, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.