title: Martial Art Training and Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged Adults.
abstract: Cognitive performance includes the processes of attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functioning, which typically declines with aging. Previous research has demonstrated that aerobic and resistance exercise improves cognitive performance immediately following exercise. However, there is limited research examining the effect that a cognitively complex exercise such as martial art training has on these cognitive processes. Our study compared the acute effects of 2 types of martial art training to aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in middle-aged adults. We utilized a repeated measures design with the order of the 3 exercise conditions randomly assigned and counterbalanced. Ten recreational middle-aged martial artists (mean age = 53.5 ± 8.6 years) participated in 3 treatment conditions: a typical martial art class, an atypical martial art class, and a one-hour walk at a self-selected speed. Cognitive performance was assessed by the Stroop Color and Word test. While all 3 exercise conditions improved attention and processing speed, only the 2 martial art conditions improved the highest order of cognitive performance, executive function. The effect of the 2 martial art conditions on executive function was not different. The improvement in executive function may be due to the increased cortical demand required by the more complex, coordinated motor tasks of martial art exercise compared to the more repetitive actions of walking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Douris
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Douris
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balder
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LaCasse
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rand
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Freya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tarapore
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: Aleskey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhuchkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Handrakis
keywords: aging; executive function; exercise; martial arts; stroop