title: Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of successful cognitive ageing.
abstract: This study examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness influences cognitive ageing and whether this influence is domain specific. A cross-sectional design comprising 25 young (18-30 years), 25 young-old (65-74 years), 25 middle-old (75-84 years) and 25 old-old adults (85-92 years) compared the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (VO(2max)) and measures of processing resources (attention, working memory, speed) and higher-order cognitive functions (executive function, memory). Fitness was a strong predictor of cognition and accounted for more variance in processing resources than in higher-order functions. This suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness may have a selective protective effect against age-associated cognitive decline.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. rachel.newson@flinders.edu.au
authors.forename: Rachel S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Newson
authors.forename: Eva B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kemps
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology