title: Comparing the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with an acute bout of interactive mental and physical exercise on electrophysiology and executive functioning in younger and older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical exercise has been shown to improve cognitive and neural functioning in older adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study compared the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with a bout of interactive mental and physical exercise (i.e., "exergaming") on executive (Stroop) task performance and event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes in younger and older adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed enhanced executive task performance in younger and older adults after exercise, with no differences in performance between exercise conditions. Stroop (RT) performance in older adults improved more than in younger adults from pre- to post-exercise. A significant increase in EEG amplitude from pre- to post-exercise was found at the Cz site from 320 to 700 ms post-stimulus for both younger and older adults, with older adults demonstrating a larger Stroop interference effect. While younger adults exhibited overall greater EEG amplitudes than older adults, they showed no differences between congruent and incongruent trials (i.e., minimal interference). Compared to peers with higher BMI (body mass index), older adults with lower BMI showed a greater reduction in Stroop interference effects from pre- to post-exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The beneficial effects of an acute bout of physical exercise on cognitive and neural functioning in younger and older adults were confirmed, with no difference between standard exercise and exergaming. Findings suggest that BMI, sometimes used as a proxy for fitness level, may modulate benefits that older adults derive from an acute bout of exercise. Findings have implications for future research that seeks to investigate unique effects of exergaming when compared to standard physical exercise.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Maximillians-University Munich, Munich, Germany. julia.dimitrova@camh.ca.|Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1001 Queen Street West, Unit 4-1, Toronto, ON, M6J1H4, Canada. julia.dimitrova@camh.ca.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7196-8495
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimitrova
authors.affiliation: National University Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Maximillians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khader
authors.affiliation: National University Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Hora
authors.affiliation: National University Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kilmartin
authors.affiliation: National University Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jane C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Union College, Schenectady, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Cay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson-Hanley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Interference; Mental and aerobic exercise; Stroop task