Moderate exercise, such as walking, over three months significantly improved cognitive function in older adults, especially by increasing the efficiency of the prefrontal cortex. This finding paves the way for accessible exercise programs for older adults with low fitness motivation.
Regular exercise helps improve and maintain cognitive skills in older people. Previous studies have mainly investigated the effects of moderate-to-high-intensity aerobic exercise lasting 6 months to 1 year on executive functions governed by the prefrontal cortex. The challenge, however, is motivating people to consistently participate in such a demanding training regimen.
Extending previous research from the University of Tsukuba and the University of California, Irvine, it has been observed that even short periods of light exercise, such as walking or yoga, can activate the brain and improve cognitive performance in the short term. However, the long-term effects of mild aerobic exercise on the human brain and the specific processes behind it have so far not been fully understood.
In this study, a group of healthy middle-aged and older adults (ages 55-78) were randomly divided into two groups. One group did low-intensity cycling 3 times a week for 3 months (exercise group). The other group, they continued their normal daily routine (control group). The research team used the Stroop test to assess participants’ executive function, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy to assess prefrontal cortex activity during the task before and after the intervention.
The results revealed that the exercise group significantly improved executive function compared to the control group. Of note, when the data were analyzed by age, the benefits of light-intensity exercise were particularly pronounced in the older age group (ages 68-78). The underlying brain mechanisms behind this improvement included increased efficient activation of the prefrontal cortex.
In other words, executive function was high, but the corresponding brain activation was relatively low. These results suggest that even 3 months of light exercise strengthens the brain’s functional networks, allowing the prefrontal cortex to be utilized more efficiently during the Stroop test.
This landmark finding highlights the positive effects of 3 months of non-stressful light exercise on strengthening the prefrontal cortex and improving cognitive function in older adults. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of new exercise programs and strategies that improve executive function and are easily accessible to older adults with low physical fitness levels and limited motivation to exercise.
References: “Light Exercise Improves Executive Function by Improving Neural Efficiency in the Prefrontal Cortex of Older Adults” Kyungho Pyeong, Hyodo Kazuki, Suwabe Kazuya, Fukuke Takemune, Ha Minsung, Cholpaka Damron Thai, Ryuta Kuwamizu, Hikaru Koizumi, Michael A. Yassa and Hideaki Soya, June 15, 2023, Gero Science.
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00816-3
This work was supported in part by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) grant (18H04081). [H.S.]21H04858 [H.S.]12J01926 [K.H.]), Science and Technology Agent Grant JPMJMI19D5 (HS), University of Tsukuba Overseas Education and Research Unit Invitation (2016-2023), 2019 Incheon University Research Grant (KB), USA National Institutes of Health Grant R01AG053555 (May).
