The relationship between objective physical activity and change in cognitive function
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Alzheimer's and Dementia
PubMed ID
36656659
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
56572
Funders
Alzheimer's Association / Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation / Science and Industry Endowment Fund / Dementia Collaborative Research Centres / Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support program / Australian Alzheimer's Research Foundation / National Health and Medical Research Council / The Yulgilbar Foundation / Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship
Grant Number
NHMRC Number : GNT1197315
Abstract
Introduction: The current study investigated the association between objectively measured physical activity and cognition in older adults over approximately 8 years. Methods: We utilized data from 199 cognitively unimpaired individuals from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study, aged ≥ 60. Actigraphy was used to measure physical activity (intensity, total activity, and energy expenditure) at baseline. Cognition was assessed using a comprehensive cognitive battery every 18-months. Results: Higher baseline energy expenditure predicted better episodic recall memory and global cognition over the follow-up period (p = 0.031; p = 0.047, respectively). Those with higher physical activity intensity and greater total activity also had better global cognition over time (both p = 0.005). Finally, higher total physical activity predicted improved episodic recall memory over time (p = 0.022). Discussion: These results suggest that physical activity can preserve cognition and that activity intensity may play an important role in this association. Highlights: Greater total physical activity predicts preserved episodic memory and global cognition. Moderate intensity physical activity ( > 3.7 metabolic equivalents of task [MET]) predicts preserved global cognition. Expending > 373 kilocalories per day may benefit episodic memory and global cognition.
DOI
10.1002/alz.12950
Access Rights
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Comments
Sewell, K. R., Rainey-Smith, S. R., Peiffer, J., Sohrabi, H. R., Taddei, K., Ames, D., . . . Brown, B. M. (2023). The relationship between objective physical activity and change in cognitive function. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(7), 2984-2993. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12950