This 18-month study tracks how physical fitness relates to executive function in older adults, aiming to determine if fitness improvements predict better cognitive performance. Participants complete assessments at baseline and 18 months, including cardiorespiratory fitness (YMCA bike test), muscle strength (chest and leg press tests), and executive function (computer tasks with brain activity recording via EEG). Additional measures include physical activity questionnaires, cognitive screening (MMSE), memory tests (digit span), demographics (age, sex, education), and blood tests for APOE ε4 gene status. No exercise program will be provided, allowing observation of natural fitness-cognition relationships in daily life.
This prospective observational study examines associations between health-related physical fitness and behavioral/electrophysiological indices of cool and hot executive function in older adults over 18 months. The primary objective is to determine whether changes in physical fitness components predict concurrent changes in executive function domains. Assessment Protocol: Participants complete comprehensive evaluations at baseline and 18-month follow-up, including: (1) cardiorespiratory fitness via YMCA submaximal cycle ergometry; (2) muscular strength through one-repetition maximum testing (chest press, leg press); and (3) executive function using computerized task-switching paradigms with simultaneous electroencephalography. Secondary measures include demographics (age, sex, education), physical activity levels (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Taiwan Short Form), global cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination), and working memory (digit span forward/backward). Additionally, Apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) genotype will be examined as a potential moderator of fitness-cognition relationships.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
240
No interventions will be conducted during the observation period, maintaining participants' normal daily living conditions.
National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei, Taiwan
RECRUITINGChanges in cardiorespiratory fitness
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be estimated using the YMCA submaximal cycle ergometer test at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness between the Baseline and Post Assessments will be evaluated.
Time frame: Approximately 25 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment.
Changes in muscular fitness
Muscular fitness will be assessed via a standardized 8-10 repetition maximum protocol on chest-press and leg-press machines at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in muscular fitness between the Baseline and Post Assessments will be evaluated.
Time frame: Approximately 25 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
Change in cognitive flexibility-response time
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed via a task-switching test at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in response times on the task-switching test between Baseline and Post Assessments will be analyzed.
Time frame: Approximately 30 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
Change in cognitive flexibility-adcuracy
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed via a task-switching test at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in accuracy on the task-switching test between Baseline and Post Assessments will be analyzed.
Time frame: Approximately 30 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
Change in EEG activity
Concurrent EEG data recorded during task switching at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment) will be processed and analyzed. Differences in EEG activity between Baseline and Post Assessments will be examined.
Time frame: Approximately 30 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
Cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE)
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a 30-item cognitive screening tool yielding a total score of 0-30, will be administered at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in MMSE total scores between Baseline and Post Assessments will be analyzed.
Time frame: Approximately 15 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
Working memory (Digit Span Tests)
Working memory will be assessed via the Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition (WAIS-III), in which participants verbally reproduce auditorily presented digit sequences in their original (forward) or reverse (backward) order, at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in MMSE total scores between Baseline and Post Assessments will be analyzed.
Time frame: Approximately 15 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
ApoE genotype
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype will be determined for each participant by genotyping the single nucleotide polymorphisms rs429358 and rs7412.
Time frame: 5 minutes at the Baseline Assessment
Physical activity (Taiwan version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ)
Physical activity will be assessed via the Taiwanese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) at baseline (Baseline Assessment) and at the 18-month follow-up (Post Assessment). Changes in IPAQ-SF scores between Baseline and Post Assessments will be analyzed.
Time frame: Approximately 15 minutes each at the baseline assessment and the 18-month follow-up post-assessment
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