Eintrag in der Universitätsbibliographie der TU Chemnitz
Niemann, Claudia*
Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Godde, Ben; Budde Henning (Gutachter)
Differential Effects of Physical Activity on Older Adults' Brain Structure
Kurzfassung in englisch
In late adulthood, cognitive performance declines and brain structure deteriorates. However, research indicates that both may be diminished by certain lifestyle factors. Physical activity, especially cardiovascular activity, has been revealed as such a lifestyle factor, which benefits both cognitive performance and its neural correlates. This dissertation examined in four empirical studies how coordinative activity in healthy older adults is associated with changes or individual differences in cognitive functioning and brain structure and whether effects of cardiovascular and coordinative activity differ from each other. Results indicate that motor fitness was positively related to volume of the hippocampus, basal ganglia and anterior cingulate gyrus and white matter microstructure in the medial frontal gyrus and the anterior commissure. Coordination training was shown to increase volume of the hippocampus, caudate and globus pallidus. Additionally, coordinative activity was positively associated with executive control and perceptual speed. Less evidence was found for beneficial effects of cardiovascular activity. White matter microstructure in frontal brain regions was positively related to cardiovascular fitness and cardiovascular training increased hippocampal volume. Senior dancing activity, however, did not benefit cognitive functioning and its effects on the brain were small in size and limited to frontal regions only. Thus, coordinative activity had stronger effects on brain structure than cardiovascular activity. The relationship between volumetric changes in the brain following physical activity and cognitive improvements in older adults remains largely diffuse. Findings of the current dissertation have practical implications for the design of physical activity interventions for older adults and highlight the need for future intervention studies exploring the effects of coordinative activity on cognitive performance and brain structure and function.
| Universität: | Technische Universität Chemnitz | |
| Fakultät: | Fakultät für Human- und Sozialwissenschaften | |
| Dokumentart: | Dissertation | |
| Betreuer: | Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia (Prof. Dr.) | |
| URL/URN: | https://opus.jacobs-university.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/390 | |
| Quelle: | Dissertation an der Jacobs Univ. Bremen, 2015. - 177 S. | |
| Freie Schlagwörter (Englisch): | Aging , brain volume , cognition , coordinative exercise , cardiovascular exercise , senior dancing | |
| Tag der mündlichen Prüfung | 26.05.2015 |
