Absolute and relative reliability of acute effects of aerobic exercise on executive function in seniors

BMC Geriatrics

Research Article

Nadin Andergassen¹  Oliver Faude¹  Daniel Hammes¹  Sebastian Ludyga¹  Lukas Zahner¹  Anja Rossmeissl¹  Lars Donath² 

[1] Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320B, 4052, Basel, Switzerland;Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320B, 4052, Basel, Switzerland;Institute of Exercise Training and Computer Science in Sport, German Sport University Cologne, Köln, Germany;

关键词: Reproducibility;    Instrumented climbing hold;    SEM;    CoV;    Piezoelectric force sensors;    Bouldering;    Performance;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12877-017-0634-x

 received in 2017-03-08, accepted in 2017-10-08,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAging is accompanied by a decline of executive function. Aerobic exercise training induces moderate improvements of cognitive domains (i.e., attention, processing, executive function, memory) in seniors. Most conclusive data are obtained from studies with dementia or cognitive impairment. Confident detection of exercise training effects requires adequate between-day reliability and low day-to-day variability obtained from acute studies, respectively. These absolute and relative reliability measures have not yet been examined for a single aerobic training session in seniors.MethodsTwenty-two healthy and physically active seniors (age: 69 ± 3 y, BMI: 24.8 ± 2.2, VO2peak: 32 ± 6 mL/kg/bodyweight) were enrolled in this randomized controlled cross-over study. A repeated between-day comparison [i.e., day 1 (habituation) vs. day 2 & day 2 vs. day 3] of executive function testing (Eriksen-Flanker-Test, Stroop-Color-Test, Digit-Span, Five-Point-Test) before and after aerobic cycling exercise at 70% of the heart rate reserve [0.7 × (HRmax – HRrest)] was conducted. Reliability measures were calculated for pre, post and change scores.ResultsLarge between-day differences between day 1 and 2 were found for reaction times (Flanker- and Stroop Color testing) and completed figures (Five-Point test) at pre and post testing (0.002 < p < 0.05, 0.16 < ɳp2 < 0.38). These differences notably declined when comparing day 2 and 3. Absolute between days variability (CoV) dropped from 10 to 5% when comparing day 2 vs. day 3 instead of day 1 vs. day 2. Also ICC ranges increased from day 1 vs. day 2 (0.65 < ICC < 0.87) to day 2 vs. day 3 (0.40 < ICC < 0.93). Interestingly, reliability measures for pre-post change scores were low (0.02 < ICC < 0.71). These data did not improve when comparing day 2 with day 3. During inhibition tests, reaction times showed excellent reliability values compared to the poor to fair reliability of accuracy.ConclusionNotable habituation to the whole testing procedure should be considered as it increased the reliability of different executive function tests. Change scores of executive function after acute aerobic exercise cannot be detected reliably. Large intra- and inter-individual of responses to acute aerobic exercise in seniors can be presumed.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017