title: Cardiovascular Fitness and Neurocognitive Performance among Older Adults in the Maintenance Stage of Cardiac Rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular fitness is associated with cognition in advanced age. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a risk factor for cognitive decline beyond the normal aging process, thus we investigated this association in CVD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients in phase III of cardiac rehabilitation were divided into high and low cardiovascular fitness groups based on their predicted peak VO2. Cognition was assessed by a battery of neuropsychological tests examining memory, attention, visual spatial function, executive function and global cognitive score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were similar on reported physical activity and on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). However, the high fitness group had significantly higher scores than the lower fitness group on attention and on the global cognitive score, and marginally significant scores on executive functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the small sample size no differentiation was made among the various CVD conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher cardiovascular fitness of CVD patients is associated with superior cognition - predominantly in attention and executive functioning.
authors.affiliation: The Wingate College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Wingate Institute, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Netz
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics and Memory Clinic, Mental Health Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Tzvi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dwolatzky
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation, Meir Medical Center, Israel.
authors.forename: Abid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaskia
authors.affiliation: The Wingate College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Wingate Institute, Israel.
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dunsky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged