[Relationship between exercising and physical and cognitive function indicators. Comparison of results with age].
BACKGROUND
Gerontology research shows the importance of physical exercise for active aging. This study demonstrates the relationship between the practice of aerobic exercise, and physical fitness (muscle strength, respiratory capacity and motor speed) and cognitive performance (memory and visual-perceptual speed) and analyzes whether age is a modulating factor of this relationship.


METHODS
The sample included 690 subjects with an age range of 30-85 years. The level of physical exercise was assessed using self-report form. Two sub-scales were used for the evaluation of cognitive performance: Digit Span Backwards and Digit Symbol (both are sub-scales of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--WAIS). The physical fitness was assessed using bio-behavioral measurements (strength, lung capacity, speed). To test the combined effect of exercise and age on the two variables (physical fitness and cognitive performance) two separate factorial analysis of variance were performed (procedure--general linear model: Univariate).


RESULTS
The most significant result showed that scores on cognitive performance is a function of the intensity of the physical activity (F = 4.8; P < 0.002). With regard to physical fitness, its relationship with physical exercise is also significant (F = 4.10; P<0.007) as well as the interaction between exercise and age (F = 2.2; P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The intensity in achieving aerobic exercise is associated with physical fitness and cognitive performance. Age has a specific weight in the association between exercise and physical fitness, this effect is higher in the older age groups (65-74 and 75-85 years for 30-49 and 50-64 years). These data suggest the compensatory effect of exercise on decline in old age.
López
María Dolores
MD
Área de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Madrid, España.
Zamarrón
María Dolores
MD
Fernández-Ballesteros
Rocío
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness