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Physical fitness helps attenuate age-related declines in cognitive function. Discuss. - page 4
Keywords: Physical fitness reduce age-related ageing declines cognitive function. Discuss. brain performacne
By Suzanna on 22/06/2010
Level: Bachelor Honours Degree (BA, BEng, BSc etc)
Page Number: 4 of 12 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12differences which draw attention to its lack of generalisability. Finally, VO2Max was not actually measured, making it even more problematic to ascertain a cause and effect relationship.
Individual studies such as the above are difficult to make conclusions from, regarding the wider ageing population; however, a meta-analysis can help to overcome such a problem such as that produced by Colcombe and Kramer (2003). The analysis was based on 17 interventional studies. The overall conclusion was that physical fitness moderate’s age-related cognitive decline, in spite of individual differences. The impact was most apparent on executive processes. They also found that the benefits of continuous fitness training were substantial compared to less frequent training. In conclusion then, based on the meta-analysis it can be said that physical fitness helps attenuate age-related cognitive decline, but again there are methodological problems. Out of the 18 interventional studies only a minority actually measured VO2Max. Also the different studies used different ways to measure cognitive functioning and physical fitness.
Again, what we see is that the evidence is leaning towards the notion that physical fitness helps attenuate age-related cognitive decline, but, the methodological issues and confounding variables creates a lack of certainty about what actually alters cognitive function. For example, increased exercise is known to increase metabolism and so those who exercise more are likely to eat more too, thus enabling more nutrition and more calories. Ultimately then we do not if it is a difference in diet or a difference in level of physical fitness that accounts for altered Cognitive functioning.
In light of the issue of confounding variables, I have examined other studies in cognitive functioning in the elderly which has shed light onto what else may help to attenuate age-related cognitive decline. An interesting study was that by Allison et al who examined social, physical and intellectual activities in relation to cognitive performance at a later age, thus it a longitudinal essay. The objective of the study was to examine the “use it or lose it hypotheses proposed by Salthouse (2006). They found that a more the impact of being active is more apparent at base-line than at a later stage. They also noted that the most significant association is found in tasks that are more intellectually demanding.
Although the study took into account social, physical and intellectual factors in terms of impact on cognitive functioning, the strongest determent on cognitive performance was
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