Journal article
Cognitive Planning Improved After Cycling Exercise in Older Adults with Down Syndrome
Brain sciences, Vol.15(1), p.2
12/24/2024
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci15010002
PMCID: PMC11764407
PMID: 39851370
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cognitive functions are a crucial part of daily living, especially for adults with Down syndrome (DS) who have a high likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease in adulthood. In addition, adults with DS move slower and are not meeting the standard aerobic activity guidelines each week. The aim of this study was to examine if Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) would improve cognitive planning as measured by the Tower of London (TOL), set switching as measured by the modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and spatial memory as measured by the Corsi Block Test in adults with DS as compared to self-paced cycling. Methods: Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of two interventions over eight weeks. (1) Thirteen older adults with DS completed the ACT intervention, which is stationary cycling with the assistance of a motor to maintain a cadence at least 35% greater than voluntary cycling. (2) Eleven older adults with DS completed voluntary cycling (VC). Results: Our results showed that cognitive planning as measured by total correct score in the TOL showed improvement for both ACT and VC after 8 weeks of exercise, F(1, 22) = 6.22, p = 0.021. There were no significant differences for spatial memory or set switching. Conclusions: We concluded that cycling exercise has a positive impact on cognitive function, especially problem solving in older adults with DS. Our results are discussed with respect to upregulation of neurotrophic factors that increase functioning in the prefrontal cortex that accompanies exercise and leads to improvements in cognitive planning which is essential to many activities of daily living and quality of life for older adults with DS.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cognitive Planning Improved After Cycling Exercise in Older Adults with Down Syndrome
- Creators
- Shannon D. R. Ringenbach - Arizona State UniversityNathaniel E. Arnold - Arizona State UniversityForouzan Rafiei Rezvani - Arizona State UniversityChih-Chia Chen
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Brain sciences, Vol.15(1), p.2
- DOI
- 10.3390/brainsci15010002
- PMID
- 39851370
- PMCID
- PMC11764407
- NLM abbreviation
- Brain Sci
- ISSN
- 2076-3425
- eISSN
- 2076-3425
- Publisher
- MDPI; BASEL
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/24/2024
- Academic Unit
- Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
- Record Identifier
- 9984772252602771
Metrics
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