The Relationship between Cognitive Function and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Institutionalized Older Adults.

Otten, K. (Kars) (2009) The Relationship between Cognitive Function and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Institutionalized Older Adults. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.

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Abstract

Background. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) exercise programs have beneficial effects on cognitive function (CF) in cognitively healthy institutionalized older adults. Therefore, CRF exercise programs may be used therapeutically in cognitively impaired institutionalized older adults. However, studies confirming the relationship between CF and CRF in cognitively impaired older adults, generally included community-based subjects. Therefore, this study investigated this relationship in cognitively impaired institutionalized subjects, to affirm whether CRF exercise programs could possibly affect their CF positively. Methods. Thirty-six institutionalized older adults, mean age 85.9 (5.0) years, participated. CF was assessed with neuropsychological tests for memory and executive function (EF). The two minute walking tests (2MWT) indicated CRF. A lower and a higher CF group were created based on CF scores. Results. In the total sample, memory and EF correlated significantly with the 2MWT: r ranged between .351 and .516 and between .394 and .611, respectively. In the lower and higher CF group, positive correlations between CF and the 2MWT were non significant (p>0.05): r ranged between .011 and .592 and between .001 and .336, respectively. Conclusion. The relationship between CF and CRF in cognitively impaired institutionalized older adults was non significant. However, moderate correlations may be significant with a larger sample. Therefore, the relationship between CF and CRF is not refuted in cognitively impaired institutionalized older adults. Consequently, future studies should use large sample sizes when investigating the relationship between CF and CRF in cognitively impaired institutionalized older adults.

Item Type:	Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Heuvelen, Dr. M.J.G. van and Blankevoort, Drs. C.G.
Faculty:	Medical Sciences
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2020 11:04
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2020 11:04
URI:	https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2408

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