BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that self-reported physical activity accounts for variability in cognitive function among older adults, and aerobic intervention may improve cognitive function in this population. However, much less is known about the longitudinal association between direct measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function across the life span. The present study examined the prospective association between symptom-limited maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and longitudinal performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. METHODS: Up to 1,400 participants aged 19-94 years underwent initial VO2max assessment and completed subsequent tests of memory, attention, perceptuomotor speed, language, and executive function, in addition to cognitive screening measures, on up to six occasions (mean, M = 2; standard deviation, SD = 1) for up to 18 years (M = 7, SD = 3). Mixed-effects regression models were adjusted for demographic, biomedical, and behavioral confounders. RESULTS: Analyses revealed significant longitudinal associations between baseline VO2max and trajectory of performance on multiple measures of verbal and visual memory, as well as on a cognitive screening test (all ps < .05). Individuals with lower VO2max demonstrated accelerated trajectories of cognitive decline over time. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline cardiorespiratory fitness is related to longitudinal neuropsychological performance, and memory appears to be a particularly vulnerable domain. Evidence that aerobic fitness is associated with accelerated cognitive decline emphasizes the possible importance of behavioral interventions to optimize cognitive aging over time.
BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that self-reported physical activity accounts for variability in cognitive function among older adults, and aerobic intervention may improve cognitive function in this population. However, much less is known about the longitudinal association between direct measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function across the life span. The present study examined the prospective association between symptom-limited maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and longitudinal performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. METHODS: Up to 1,400 participants aged 19-94 years underwent initial VO2max assessment and completed subsequent tests of memory, attention, perceptuomotor speed, language, and executive function, in addition to cognitive screening measures, on up to six occasions (mean, M = 2; standard deviation, SD = 1) for up to 18 years (M = 7, SD = 3). Mixed-effects regression models were adjusted for demographic, biomedical, and behavioral confounders. RESULTS: Analyses revealed significant longitudinal associations between baseline VO2max and trajectory of performance on multiple measures of verbal and visual memory, as well as on a cognitive screening test (all ps < .05). Individuals with lower VO2max demonstrated accelerated trajectories of cognitive decline over time. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline cardiorespiratory fitness is related to longitudinal neuropsychological performance, and memory appears to be a particularly vulnerable domain. Evidence that aerobic fitness is associated with accelerated cognitive decline emphasizes the possible importance of behavioral interventions to optimize cognitive aging over time.
Authors: Jennifer Weuve; Jae Hee Kang; JoAnn E Manson; Monique M B Breteler; James H Ware; Francine Grodstein Journal: JAMA Date: 2004-09-22 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: R A Swain; A B Harris; E C Wiener; M V Dutka; H D Morris; B E Theien; S Konda; K Engberg; P C Lauterbur; W T Greenough Journal: Neuroscience Date: 2003 Impact factor: 3.590
Authors: Daniel O Clark; Huiping Xu; Lyndsi Moser; Philip Adeoye; Annie W Lin; Christy C Tangney; Shannon L Risacher; Andrew J Saykin; Robert V Considine; Frederick W Unverzagt Journal: Contemp Clin Trials Date: 2019-07-18 Impact factor: 2.226
Authors: Michael L Alosco; Mary Beth Spitznagel; Ronald Cohen; Lawrence H Sweet; Richard Josephson; Joel Hughes; Jim Rosneck; John Gunstad Journal: Acta Cardiol Date: 2014-08 Impact factor: 1.718
Authors: Paul Freudenberger; Katja Petrovic; Abhijit Sen; Anna Maria Töglhofer; André Fixa; Edith Hofer; Sabine Perl; Robert Zweiker; Sudha Seshadri; Reinhold Schmidt; Helena Schmidt Journal: Neurology Date: 2016-01-06 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Maya J Lambiase; Kelley P Gabriel; Lewis H Kuller; Karen A Matthews Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2014-04-17 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Susanne Inez Steinberg; Mary Dupuis Sammel; Brian Tal Harel; Adrian Schembri; Christopher Policastro; Hillary R Bogner; Selamawit Negash; Steven Edward Arnold Journal: Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen Date: 2014-08-05 Impact factor: 2.035