Long-Term Maintenance of Executive-Related Oculomotor Improvements in Older Adults with Self-Reported Cognitive Complaints Following a 24-Week Multiple Modality Exercise Program

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Shellington, Erin M.^a | Heath, Matthew^a | Gill, Dawn P.^{b; c} | Petrella, Robert J.^{a; b; *}

Affiliations: [a] School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [b] Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada | [c] School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Robert J. Petrella, Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Rm 2102, Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario, 1465 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 2M1, Canada. Tel.: +1 519 661 2111/Ext. 22119; Fax: +1 519 858 5029; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: Adults (≥55 years) with self-reported cognitive complaints (sCC) were randomized to: multiple-modality exercise (M2), or multiple-modality plus mind-motor exercise (M4), for 24-weeks. Participants (n = 58) were assessed on antisaccade reaction time (RT) to examine executive-related oculomotor control and self-reported physical activity (PA) at pre-intervention (V0), post-intervention (V1), and 52-weeks follow-up (V2). We previously reported significant improvements in antisaccade RT of 23 ms at V1, in both groups. We now report maintenance of antisaccade RT improvement from V1 to V2, t(57) = 0.8, p = 0.45, and improved PA from V1 to V2, t(56) = –2.4, p = 0.02. Improvements in executive-related oculomotor control attained at V1 were maintained at V2.

Keywords: Adults, cognition, executive function, exercise, resistance training, saccades

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-161190

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 17-22, 2017