Sherwood Jennifer J, Inouye Cathy, Webb Shannon L, Zhou Ange, Anderson Erik A, Spink Nicole S
Department of Kinesiology, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, United States of America.
Department of Statistics and Biostatistics, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, United States of America.
PeerJ. 2019 Jan 7;7:e6159. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6159. eCollection 2019.
Regular exercise training stimulates physiological adaptations to improve physical performance, reduce chronic disease risk, and slow age-related cognitive decline. Since the physiological mechanisms responsible for aging-associated cognitive decline are not yet fully understood, and training-induced physiological adaptations responsible for performance measure improvements are specific to the type (aerobic vs. strength) and intensity of training, studies are needed to assess the relationships between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in older adults. These results could be used to guide exercise prescriptions with the goal of improving age-related cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults.
The cognitive performance of ninety independent, community dwelling participants (69 female, 21 male), aged 75 ± 9.5 years (mean ± SD) was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State Test (3MS), Trailmaking Tests A and B (TMT A & B), and the Animal Naming test. Sociodemographic (age, sex, ethnicity, medication use, years of education) and anthropometric data were collected, physical activity was assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), peak hand-grip strength, distance walked in the 6MWT, and heart rate pre-, during, and up to 5 min. post- 6MWT were measured. Forward stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed with each cognitive measure as a dependent variable.
Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, peak heart rate during the 6MWT (6MWT HR) was positively correlated with performance in the 3MS ( < 0.017), and TMT A ( < 0.001) and B ( < 0.029). Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively ( = 0.001), and β-blocker use negatively ( = 0.035), correlated with performance on the Animal Naming test. Also, controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively correlated with performance on the TMT A ( = 0.017). Here we show that higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT is positively correlated with cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults (ages 60-95 years).
Higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT was found to be independently and positively correlated with cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. Although additional work is needed, these results are promising and suggest that physicians, exercise professionals, and/or fitness/fall prevention programs may use peak heart rate during the 6MWT to easily monitor exercise intensity to support cognitive health.
规律的运动训练可刺激生理适应性变化，从而提高身体机能、降低慢性病风险并减缓与年龄相关的认知衰退。由于导致与衰老相关的认知衰退的生理机制尚未完全明确，且训练引起的导致运动表现指标改善的生理适应性变化因训练类型（有氧训练与力量训练）和强度而异，因此需要开展研究来评估老年人身体机能指标与认知表现之间的关系。这些结果可用于指导运动处方，以改善与年龄相关的认知表现。本研究的目的是调查在居住于社区、种族多样的老年人群体中身体机能指标与认知表现之间的关系。
采用改良简易精神状态检查表（3MS）、连线测验A和B（TMT A和B）以及动物命名测试，对90名独立的、居住于社区的参与者（69名女性，21名男性）进行认知表现测量，这些参与者年龄为75±9.5岁（均值±标准差）。收集社会人口统计学数据（年龄、性别、种族、用药情况、受教育年限）和人体测量数据，使用老年人身体活动量表（PASE）评估身体活动情况，测量峰值握力、6分钟步行试验（6MWT）中的步行距离以及6MWT前、期间及结束后5分钟内的心率。以每项认知指标作为因变量进行向前逐步多元回归分析。
在控制社会人口统计学协变量后，6MWT期间的峰值心率（6MWT HR）与3MS（P<0.017）、TMT A（P<0.001）和TMT B（P<0.029）的表现呈正相关。在控制社会人口统计学协变量后，PASE与动物命名测试的表现呈正相关（P = 0.001），而使用β受体阻滞剂则与该测试表现呈负相关（P = 0.035）。此外，在控制社会人口统计学协变量后，PASE与TMT A的表现呈正相关（P = 0.017）。在此我们表明，在居住于社区、种族多样的老年人群体（60 - 95岁）中，6MWT期间较高的峰值心率与认知表现呈正相关。
研究发现，6MWT期间较高的峰值心率与社区居住老年人的认知功能独立且呈正相关。尽管还需要进一步研究，但这些结果很有前景，表明医生、运动专业人员和/或健身/跌倒预防项目可利用6MWT期间的峰值心率轻松监测运动强度，以促进认知健康。
