Promoting and maintaining cognitive functions can be supported through regular exercise. While other studies have focused on the effects of moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercise lasting between 6 months and 1 year on executive function, motivating people to participate and adhere to rigorous exercise programs is challenging.
Building on previous research, even short, light exercise sessions that include yoga and walking have been found to stimulate the brain and produce short-term cognitive performance improvements.
However, the effects of mild aerobic exercise over a long period of time on brain function, as well as the associated underlying mechanisms, remain unexplored.
A group of 125 healthy people between the ages of 55 and 78 were randomly divided into two groups: one training group cycled at low intensity three times a week for three months, while the control group went about their usual daily routine.
Researchers assessed participants’ executive function using a Stroop test and assessed prefrontal cortex activity throughout the task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy before and after the three months.
The results showed a significant improvement in executive functions in the exercise group compared to the control group. When the data was analyzed by age, the benefits of light exercise were particularly pronounced in the group of older people aged 68 to 78 years.
An efficient increase in prefrontal cortex activation played a role in the underlying brain mechanism that supported this improvement. This means that high executive function corresponds to relatively low brain activation.
These results suggest that light exercise over just three months can strengthen the brain’s functional networks, allowing the prefrontal cortex to be used more successfully during the Stroop test.
These results highlight the positive effects that stress-free, light exercise over a three-month period has on strengthening the prefrontal cortex and improving cognitive function.
