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The influence of physical exercise and leisure activity on neuropsychological functioning in older adults

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Abstract

It has been suggested that leisure activity and physical exercise can be a protective factor for neuropsychological functions and are associated with a reduced risk of dementia. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of physical exercise and leisure on the neuropsychological functions of healthy older adults. The sample was composed of 51 sedentary female volunteers who were 60–70 years old and were distributed into three groups: A—control, B—leisure, and C—training. Volunteers were submitted to a physical and neuropsychological assessment at baseline and after 6 months. Groups A and B were monitored longitudinally three times a week. Group C improved their neuropsychological functioning and oxygen consumption compared to groups A and B (p = <0.05). The neuropsychological functions of groups A and B were significantly worse after 6 months of monitoring (p = <0.05). The data suggest that physical exercise improves neuropsychological functioning, although leisure activities may also improve this functioning. Thus, an aerobic physical fitness program can partially serve as a non-medication alternative for maintaining and improving these functions in older adults; however, leisure activities should also be considered.

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Acknowledgments

All the authors are grateful to the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) and the Centro de Estudos em Psicobiologia e Exercício (CEPE).

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Campus Baixada Santista, Rua Silva Jardim, 136, Térreo Vila Mathias, Santos, São Paulo, 11015-020, Brazil

    Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes

  2. Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil

    Ruth Ferreira Santos-Galduroz

  3. Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Campus São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Valdir De Aquino Lemos, Orlando Francisco Amodeu Bueno & Marco Túlio De Mello

  4. Centro de Estudos em Psicobiologia e Exercício (CEPE), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes, Valdir De Aquino Lemos, Patrícia Rzezak, Marcos Gonçalves de Santana & Marco Túlio De Mello

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  1. Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes
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  2. Ruth Ferreira Santos-Galduroz
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  3. Valdir De Aquino Lemos
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  4. Orlando Francisco Amodeu Bueno
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  6. Marcos Gonçalves de Santana
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Correspondence to Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes.

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Antunes, H.K.M., Santos-Galduroz, R.F., De Aquino Lemos, V. et al. The influence of physical exercise and leisure activity on neuropsychological functioning in older adults. AGE 37, 71 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-015-9815-8

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