Passarello Noemi, Troisi Lopez Emahnuel, Gigliotta Onofrio, Turriziani Patrizia, Lucidi Fabio, Mandolesi Laura
Department of Humanities, University of Naples "Federico" II, Naples, Italy.
Department of Education and Sport Sciences, Pegaso Telematic University, Naples, Italy.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Mar 28;13(1):312. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02466-w.
Physical activity (PA) significantly impacts brain function and counteracts age-related changes in cognitive and motor abilities.
This pilot study delved into exploring the cognitive benefits of PA in older adults, focusing on their fluency abilities. We assessed verbal and graphic fluency in 45 older participants (mean age = 68.11 ± 3.34 years) using the Fluency Test (FAS) and modified Five-Points Test (m-FPT). They were divided into Active and Sedentary based on International Physical Activity Questionnaire cut-off scores.
The results revealed significant findings regarding the relationship between PA level and executive functions. Generalized linear model analyses indicated that sedentary individuals exhibited poorer performance in the number of unique drawings, drawings performed with a cognitive strategy, and strategy index (ISs). Regarding gender differences, we found a significant positive prediction of verbal fluency abilities in males compared to females. However, no significant effects of gender were observed for the m-FPT.
These preliminary findings strengthen existing evidence highlighting PA's beneficial impact on cognitive function in older adults. This study highlights a distinctive support for graphic abilities over verbal fluency due to PA, emphasizing a specific connection to cognitive efficacy. It also prompts consideration of graphic fluency as a possible marker for successful ageing.
身体活动（PA）对脑功能有显著影响，并能抵消与年龄相关的认知和运动能力变化。
这项初步研究深入探讨了PA对老年人认知的益处，重点关注他们的流畅性能力。我们使用流畅性测试（FAS）和改良五点测试（m-FPT）评估了45名老年参与者（平均年龄=68.11±3.34岁）的言语和图形流畅性。根据国际身体活动问卷的临界分数，将他们分为活跃组和久坐组。
结果揭示了PA水平与执行功能之间关系的重要发现。广义线性模型分析表明，久坐不动的个体在独特图形数量、运用认知策略完成的图形以及策略指数（ISs）方面表现较差。关于性别差异，我们发现男性的言语流畅性能力相比女性有显著的正向预测。然而，对于m-FPT，未观察到性别有显著影响。
这些初步发现强化了现有证据，突出了PA对老年人认知功能的有益影响。本研究强调了PA对图形能力的支持优于言语流畅性，强调了与认知效能的特定联系。它还促使人们将图形流畅性视为成功老龄化的一个可能标志。
