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Physical Activity Is Positively Associated with Episodic Memory in Aging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 November 2015

Scott M. Hayes ,
Michael L. Alosco ,
Jasmeet P. Hayes ,
Margaret Cadden ,
Kristina M. Peterson ,
Kelly Allsup ,
Daniel E. Forman ,
Reisa A. Sperling  and
Mieke Verfaellie
Scott M. Hayes*
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
Michael L. Alosco
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts Kent State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent, Ohio
Jasmeet P. Hayes
Affiliation:
National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
Margaret Cadden
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
Kristina M. Peterson
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
Kelly Allsup
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Daniel E. Forman
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Geriatric Cardiology Section, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania
Reisa A. Sperling
Affiliation:
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH Radiology, Charlestown, Massachusetts Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Center of Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Mieke Verfaellie
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Scott M. Hayes, Memory Disorders Research Center (151A), VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130. E-mail: smhayes@bu.edu
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Abstract

Aging is associated with performance reductions in executive function and episodic memory, although there is substantial individual variability in cognition among older adults. One factor that may be positively associated with cognition in aging is physical activity. To date, few studies have objectively assessed physical activity in young and older adults, and examined whether physical activity is differentially associated with cognition in aging. Young (n=29, age 18–31 years) and older adults (n=31, ages 55–82 years) completed standardized neuropsychological testing to assess executive function and episodic memory capacities. An experimental face-name relational memory task was administered to augment assessment of episodic memory. Physical activity (total step count and step rate) was objectively assessed using an accelerometer, and hierarchical regressions were used to evaluate relationships between cognition and physical activity. Older adults performed more poorly on tasks of executive function and episodic memory. Physical activity was positively associated with a composite measure of visual episodic memory and face-name memory accuracy in older adults. Physical activity associations with cognition were independent of sedentary behavior, which was negatively correlated with memory performance. Physical activity was not associated with cognitive performance in younger adults. Physical activity is positively associated with episodic memory performance in aging. The relationship appears to be strongest for face-name relational memory and visual episodic memory, likely attributable to the fact that these tasks make strong demands on the hippocampus. The results suggest that physical activity relates to cognition in older, but not younger adults. (JINS, 2015, 21, 780–790)

Keywords

Executive functionCognitionExercisePhysical fitnessActigraphAccelerometer
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 21 , Special Issue 10: Physical Activity and Brain Plasticity , November 2015 , pp. 780 - 790
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2015 

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