Page 45 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2021. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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estigations of adult neuroplasticity as an effect of long-term gibanje in zdravje starejših odraslih | physical activity and health of the elderly
physical activity in old age
Mandy Bade1, Anita Hökelmann1, Jörn Kaufmann1, Volkmar Leßmann1, Notger
Müller2
1 Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
2 German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Magdeburg, Magdeburg,
Germany
Introduction: The growing number of elderly people in the population is accom-
panied by an increased prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g. dementia), which
will confront the healthcare system with major challenges in the future. There-
fore, appropriate interventions are needed to support healthy aging combined
with a high quality of life. The potential of the adult organism for neuronal plas-
ticity, induced by long-term physical activity, was examined in an interdiscipli-
nary project on aging research from neuroscientific, physiological, neuropsy-
chological and sports science perspectives.
Methods: In a longitudinal study with 20 healthy elderly people (M=72.65,
SD=4.31 years) the influence of endurance and strength training as well as
dance training on brain structure, BDNF, memory, balance ability and endur-
ance performance was investigated. Measurements were performed before
the start of the training phase, after 6 months, 18 months and 5 years. Struc-
tural MRI scans (FSL segmentation), blood analyses, the Verbal Learning and
Memory Test (VLMT), Limits of Stability Test (LoS) and Physical Working Ca-
pacity Test 130 (PWC 130) were conducted.
Results: In both groups, we observed an increased volume in the left amygdala
(F(3,36)=3.760, p=.019, f=.56), a maintenance of BDNF concentration in blood
plasma, an improvement in balance ability according to LoS in terms of reaction
time (F(3,42) = 6.379, p = .001, f = . 67), movement velocity (F(3,42) = 4.925, p
= .005, f = .59), endpoint (F(1.83, 25.58) = 9.221, p = .001, f = .81), maximum
dislocation (F(3,42) = 12. 476, p < .001, f = .94) and direction control (F(3,42)
= 6.542, p = .001, f = .68) as well as a stabilization of the performance in PWC
130. Memory performance improved significantly in the dance group with re-
gard to recognition performance (X²(3, N=8) = 12.197, p = .007).
Discussion and conclusion: The neuroplasticity effect was confirmed as a result of
both training measures based on neurostructural, molecular, cognitive, coordi-
native and conditional adaptation phenomena in the adult organism. The study
showed that a long-term physically active lifestyle leads to preservation of per-
formance and thus to a higher quality of life as well as autonomy in old age. It
should be emphasized that only dance training contributed to cognitive perfor-
mance enhancement.
Keywords: neuroplasticity, cognition, dance, seniors, dementia prevention
43
physical activity in old age
Mandy Bade1, Anita Hökelmann1, Jörn Kaufmann1, Volkmar Leßmann1, Notger
Müller2
1 Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
2 German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Magdeburg, Magdeburg,
Germany
Introduction: The growing number of elderly people in the population is accom-
panied by an increased prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g. dementia), which
will confront the healthcare system with major challenges in the future. There-
fore, appropriate interventions are needed to support healthy aging combined
with a high quality of life. The potential of the adult organism for neuronal plas-
ticity, induced by long-term physical activity, was examined in an interdiscipli-
nary project on aging research from neuroscientific, physiological, neuropsy-
chological and sports science perspectives.
Methods: In a longitudinal study with 20 healthy elderly people (M=72.65,
SD=4.31 years) the influence of endurance and strength training as well as
dance training on brain structure, BDNF, memory, balance ability and endur-
ance performance was investigated. Measurements were performed before
the start of the training phase, after 6 months, 18 months and 5 years. Struc-
tural MRI scans (FSL segmentation), blood analyses, the Verbal Learning and
Memory Test (VLMT), Limits of Stability Test (LoS) and Physical Working Ca-
pacity Test 130 (PWC 130) were conducted.
Results: In both groups, we observed an increased volume in the left amygdala
(F(3,36)=3.760, p=.019, f=.56), a maintenance of BDNF concentration in blood
plasma, an improvement in balance ability according to LoS in terms of reaction
time (F(3,42) = 6.379, p = .001, f = . 67), movement velocity (F(3,42) = 4.925, p
= .005, f = .59), endpoint (F(1.83, 25.58) = 9.221, p = .001, f = .81), maximum
dislocation (F(3,42) = 12. 476, p < .001, f = .94) and direction control (F(3,42)
= 6.542, p = .001, f = .68) as well as a stabilization of the performance in PWC
130. Memory performance improved significantly in the dance group with re-
gard to recognition performance (X²(3, N=8) = 12.197, p = .007).
Discussion and conclusion: The neuroplasticity effect was confirmed as a result of
both training measures based on neurostructural, molecular, cognitive, coordi-
native and conditional adaptation phenomena in the adult organism. The study
showed that a long-term physically active lifestyle leads to preservation of per-
formance and thus to a higher quality of life as well as autonomy in old age. It
should be emphasized that only dance training contributed to cognitive perfor-
mance enhancement.
Keywords: neuroplasticity, cognition, dance, seniors, dementia prevention
43
