A 24-Week Multi-Modality Exercise Program Improves Executive Control in Older Adults with a Self-Reported Cognitive Complaint: Evidence from the Antisaccade Task

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Heath, Matthew^{a; b; *} | Shellington, Erin^{a; c} | Titheridge, Sam^{a; c} | Gill, Dawn P.^{c; d; e} | Petrella, Robert J.^{a; c; f; g}

Affiliations: [a] School of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [b] Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [c] Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada | [d] School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [e] Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA | [f] Department of Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [g] Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Matthew Heath, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.Tel.: +1 519 661 2111 /Ext. 80498; Fax: +1 519 661 2008; E-mail: mheath2@uwo.ca.

Abstract: Exercise programs involving aerobic and resistance training (i.e., multiple-modality) have shown promise in improving cognition and executive control in older adults at risk, or experiencing, cognitive decline. It is, however, unclear whether cognitive training within a multiple-modality program elicits an additive benefit to executive/cognitive processes. This is an important question to resolve in order to identify optimal training programs that delay, or ameliorate, executive deficits in persons at risk for further cognitive decline. In the present study, individuals with a self-reported cognitive complaint (SCC) participated in a 24-week multiple-modality (i.e., the M2 group) exercise intervention program. In addition, a separate group of individuals with a SCC completed the same aerobic and resistance training as the M2 group but also completed a cognitive-based stepping task (i.e., multiple-modality, mind-motor intervention: M4 group). Notably, pre- and post-intervention executive control was examined via the antisaccade task (i.e., eye movement mirror-symmetrical to a target). Antisaccades are an ideal tool for the study of individuals with subtle executive deficits because of its hands- and language-free nature and because the task’s neural mechanisms are linked to neuropathology in cognitive decline (i.e., prefrontal cortex). Results showed that M2 and M4 group antisaccade reaction times reliably decreased from pre- to post-intervention and the magnitude of the decrease was consistent across groups. Thus, multi-modality exercise training improved executive performance in persons with a SCC independent of mind-motor training. Accordingly, we propose that multiple-modality training provides a sufficient intervention to improve executive control in persons with a SCC.

Keywords: Executive-control, exercise, mind-motor training, multiple-modality training, subjective cognitive complaint

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-160627

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 167-183, 2017