title: Acute effects of exergames on cognitive function of institutionalized older persons: a single-blinded, randomized and controlled pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improvements on balance, gait and cognition are some of the benefits of exergames. Few studies have investigated the cognitive effects of exergames in institutionalized older persons.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the acute effect of a single session of exergames on cognition of institutionalized older persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen institutionalized older persons were randomly allocated to Wii (WG, n = 10, 86 ± 7 year, two males) or control groups (CG, n = 9, 86 ± 5 year, one male). The WG performed six exercises with virtual reality, whereas CG performed six exercises without virtual reality. Verbal fluency test (VFT), digit span forward and digit span backward were used to evaluate semantic memory/executive function, short-term memory and work memory, respectively, before and after exergames and Δ post- to pre-session (absolute) and Δ % (relative) were calculated. Parametric (t independent test) and nonparametric (Mann-Whitney test) statistics and effect size were applied to tests for efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VFT was statistically significant within WG (-3.07, df = 9, p = 0.013). We found no statistically significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). Effect size between groups of Δ % (median = 21 %) showed moderate effect for WG (0.63).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show moderate improvement of semantic memory/executive function due to exergames session. It is possible that cognitive brain areas are activated during exergames, increasing clinical response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single session of exergames showed no significant improvement in short-term memory, working memory and semantic memory/executive function. The effect size for verbal fluency was promising, and future studies on this issue should be developed.
  RBR-6rytw2.
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Sport Department, State University of Montes Claros, Av. Rui Barbosa, 126, Campus Universitário Professor Darcy Ribeiro, Vila Mauricéia, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. monteirojuniorms@gmail.com.|Doctoral Program of Medicine (Neurology-Neuroscience), Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. monteirojuniorms@gmail.com.|Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. monteirojuniorms@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Renato Sobral
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Monteiro-Junior
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Post-graduation Program of Translational Biomedicine - Biotrans, Universidade Unigranrio, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: da Silva Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Program of Medicine (Neurology-Neuroscience), Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.|Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Institute of Physical Education, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo de Tarso
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Maciel-Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erick Lohan Rodrigues
authors.initials: ELR
authors.lastname: Abud
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Elisa Mendes Montalvão
authors.initials: AEMM
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Advisory Unit for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.
authors.forename: Maria Lage
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barca
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Centre for Aging and Health, Vestfold Health Trust, 3130, Tønsberg, Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Program of Medicine (Neurology-Neuroscience), Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osvaldo José M
authors.initials: OJM
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Laboratory of Exercise, UERJ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Institute of Physical Education and Sport, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea Camaz
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Deslandes
authors.affiliation: Post-graduation Program of Translational Biomedicine - Biotrans, Universidade Unigranrio, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil.|Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jerson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Cognition; Executive function; Memory; Mental health; Physical activity; Virtual reality