Effects Of High Intensity Interval Training On Congnitive Function In Older Adults
Guoliang Fang · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2021
PURPOSE: To explore the effects of high intensity interval training on cognitive function in older adults, and to provide new methods and theoretical basis for delaying cognitive function decline in older adults. METHODS: Eligible subjects over 60 years old in Beijing area were randomly divided into control group (CON), high intensity interval training group (HIIT) and moderate intensity continuous training group (MICT). HIIT and MICT groups underwent a 12-week training. Before and after training, all subjects accepted maximum oxygen uptake test, digit span test (DST), trail making test (TMT) and stroop test. RESULTS: After 12 weeks training, in HIIT group, compared with pre-training and CON group, the maximum oxygen uptake level was increased significantly, and the number of digits in the forward and backward digit span test was increased significantly, and the time to complete the TMT-A and Stroop test was significantly reduced, and the accuracy of the Stroop test was significantly improved. Compared with MICT group, the maximum oxygen uptake level of HIIT group was increased significantly. But in MICT group, compared with pre-training, the maximum oxygen uptake level was increased significantly, and the number of digits in the forward digit span test was increased significantly, and the accuracy of the Stroop test was significantly improved. Compared with CON group, the number of digits in the forward and backward digit span test was increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: High intensity interval training can significantly improve the short-term memory, reaction speed and anti-interference ability in older adults, but it has no obvious effect on improving attention. These positive changes may be related to the increase of maximum oxygen uptake level. Compared with the traditional moderate intensity continuous training, high intensity interval training has a more significant effect on the improvement of cognitive function in older adults.