Better performance seen across five cognitive domains<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, Dec. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in older adults is associated with better cognitive performance for episodic memory, processing speed, working memory, executive function\/attentional control, and visuospatial function, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Lauren E. Oberlin, Ph.D., from AdventHealth Orlando in Florida, and colleagues evaluated the association between CRF and cognition among 648 older adults (mean age, 69.88 years).<\/p>\n The researchers found that the highest oxygen consumption obtained during testing (VO2max<\/sub>) was a mean of 21.68 mL\/kg\/min. A five-factor model was built that included episodic memory, processing speed, working memory, executive function\/attentional control, and visuospatial function. When controlling for covariates, higher CRF was associated with better performance across all five cognitive domains. These associations were not modified by age or apolipoprotein E \u03b54 carriage. The relationship between CRF and cognitive performance was greater among women, those with fewer years of education, and those taking beta-blockers in the domains of processing speed (sex: \u03b2 = \u22120.447; education: \u03b2 = \u22120.863) and executive function\/attentional control (sex: \u03b2= \u22120.417; education: \u03b2 = \u22120.759; beta-blocker use: \u03b2 = 0.305).<\/p>\n “These data emphasize CRF as an important health factor and therapeutic target for preserving multidomain cognitive functioning in late adulthood,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Several authors reported ties to relevant organizations.<\/p>\n