Cognition Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cognition, including details on psychology, neuroscience, memory, brain theory.

Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of successful cognitive ageing.

Newson RS, Kemps EB

School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. rachel.newson@flinders.edu.au

This study examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness influences cognitive ageing and whether this influence is domain specific. A cross-sectional design comprising 25 young (18-30 years), 25 young-old (65-74 years), 25 middle-old (75-84 years) and 25 old-old adults (85-92 years) compared the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (VO(2max)) and measures of processing resources (attention, working memory, speed) and higher-order cognitive functions (executive function, memory). Fitness was a strong predictor of cognition and accounted for more variance in processing resources than in higher-order functions. This suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness may have a selective protective effect against age-associated cognitive decline.

Published 6 July 2006 in J Clin Exp Neuropsychol, 28(6): 949-67.
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