CORRIGENDUM.

It is well known that physical exercise has beneficial effects on cognitive function in older adults. Recently, several physical exercise programs with virtual reality (VR) have been proposed to support physical exercise benefits. However, it is still unclear whether VR physical exercise (VR-PE) has positive effects on cognitive function in older adults. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review (SR) of the effects of VR-PE on cognitive function in older adults with and without cognitive decline. We used academic databases to search for research papers. The criteria were intervention study using any VR-PE, participants were older adults with and without mild cognitive decline (not dementia), and cognitive functions were assessed. We found that 6 of 11 eligible studies reported the significant benefits of the VR-PE on a wide range of cognitive functions in aging populations. The SR revealed that VR-PE has beneficial effects on the inhibition of executive functions in older adults with and without mild cognitive decline. Moreover, VR-PE selectively leads to improvements in shifting and general cognitive performance in healthy older adults. The SR suggests that VR-PE could be a successful approach to improve cognitive function in older adults with and without cognitive decline.

BackgroundPoor eye–hand coordination is associated with the symptoms of the early stage of cognitive decline. However, previous research on the eye–hand coordination of older adults without cognitive impairment is scant. Therefore, this study examined the effects of interactive cognitive-motor training on the visual-motor integration, visual perception, and motor coordination sub-abilities of the eye–hand coordination and cognitive function in older adults.MethodsA double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with older adults. Sixty-two older adults were randomly assigned to the experimental (interactive cognitive-motor training) or active control (passive information activity) group, and both groups received 30 min of training each week, three times a week for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was eye–hand coordination, which was further divided into the sub-abilities of visual–motor integration, visual perception, and motor coordination. The secondary outcome was cognitive function. The generalized estimating equation was used to examine differences in immediate posttest, 3-month posttest, and 6-month posttest results between the two groups. Additionally, the baseline effect sizes were compared with the effect sizes of the immediate posttest, 3-month posttest, and 6-month posttests for the experimental group.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups. The only statistically significant difference between the groups was in the attention dimension of cognitive function (p = 0.04). The visual–motor integration results showed a small to moderate effect size for pre post comparisons.ConclusionsThe 24 sessions of interactive cognitive-motor training showed no difference to an active control intervention. In the future, this intervention could be further investigated to establish whether it can be superior to an active control group in other populations.Trial registrationThe study protocol has been published on Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (registry no.: ChiCTR-IOR-14005490).

A better understanding of the impact of lifestyle factors on cognitive function in older adults is critical for developing intervention strategies to achieve successful aging. Moreover, older adults who fulfill the World Health Organization criteria for anemia have a significantly higher risk of developing dementia. In the current study, we aimed to assess the buffering effects of lifestyle on cognitive function in older Chinese adults through a nationally representative survey. The sample consisted of 1201 participants (mean age: 82.39 ± 12.08 years, 52.1% female) from the 2011/2012 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between changes in lifestyle factors and the rate of cognitive function changes, as well as the effects of the interaction between lifestyle factors and anemia on cognitive function changes. Increased levels of participation in leisure activities, social activities, and dietary diversity delayed cognitive decline. Persistent anemia accelerated cognitive decline, while frequent participation in leisure activities delayed cognitive decline due to anemia. The increased levels of participation in leisure activities, social activities, and dietary diversity can alleviate the cognitive decline caused by aging itself, and more frequently participation in leisure activities can also alleviate the adverse effects of anemia on cognitive function in older adults.

Baseline data are reported from a study of the effects of zinc supplementation on cognitive function in older adults as assessed by the CANTAB computerised test battery. This is a multicentre prospective intervention study employing a randomised double-blind design. European community-based study. There are 387 healthy adults aged 55-87 y from centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland. Measures of visual memory, working memory and attention were obtained at baseline (prior to supplementation). Younger adults (<70 y) performed significantly better than older adults (>70 y) on all tests, with minimal differences between centres. In addition, men outperformed women on tests of spatial span, pattern recognition memory and reaction times, although these gender differences varied somewhat between centres. The results are generally consistent with previous age- and gender-related effects on cognitive functioning.

BackgroundA 2×2 factorial multi‐site randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine whether Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), exercise, or their combination improve cognitive function in older adults..Method585 older adults (aged 65‐84; mean age 71.5, 72.5% women) with subjective cognitive concerns but no dementia were randomized to MBSR, exercise with aerobic, strength and functional components, combined MBSR and exercise, or a health education control group. Interventions lasted 18 months and consisted of group‐based classes and home practice.ResultNeither MBSR, exercise, nor their combination significantly improved either primary outcome of memory or cognitive control (composites of neuropsychological tests), or secondary outcomes of hippocampal volume, DLPFC thickness and surface area, functional cognitive capacity or self‐reported cognitive concerns.ConclusionAmong older adults with subjective cognitive concerns but without dementia, mindfulness training, exercise, or both did not significantly improve cognitive or brain structural outcomes.

Cognitive decline is a rapidly increasing public health concern. A healthy diet has potential in preserving brain and maintaining cognitive health. This systematic review was designed to evaluate the relationship between Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet and cognitive functioning in older adults. PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched to extract original studies on humans published until July 2020, without date restrictions. Articles that evaluated the association between MIND diet and cognitive performance in older adults were included. Duplicated and irrelevant studies were screened out and data were obtained through critical analysis. Quality of the articles and risk of bias was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa and Cochrane Collaboration's quality assessment tools. Of the 135 studies retrieved, 13 articles (9 cohort, 3 cross-sectional, and 1 RCT studies) were included in the final review. All of the included studies indicated that adherence to the MIND diet was positively associated with specific domains, but not all, of cognition and global cognitive function (78% of the studies) in older adults. MIND diet was superior to other plant-rich diets including Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Pro-Vegetarian and Baltic Sea diets, for improving cognition. Adherence to the MIND diet may possibly be associated with an improved cognitive function in older adults. MIND diet may be superior to other plant-rich diets for improving cognition.

Genetic markers of dopaminergic transmission predict performance for older males but not females

The mechanisms underlying the relationship between obesity and cognitive function remain unclear, particularly among older adults, where reliable evidence is limited. This study aimed to explore whether the relationship between obesity and cognitive function is mediated by sleep quality and blood pressure (BP) in older Chinese adults. We conducted an observational study using data from a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 5 follow-up periods involving older adults in rural China. The trial took place in Sichuan, China, from May 2021 to May 2023. Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS- 10) was used to assess the participants' cognitive function. Additionally, linear mixed-effects models and mediation analyses were performed. The mean age of participants was 70.89, and 225 out of 506 participants were males. Weight, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) were positively associated with cognitive function, while compared to normal/underweight participants, participants with overweight had a significant association with cognitive function. Sleep quality mediated the association between weight and cognitive function (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.01), P < 0.001), accounting for a mediating effect proportion of 4.04% (95% CI: 2.19% to 8.00%). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) mediated the association between overweight (β = 0.02, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.05), P < 0.001), HC (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.01), P = 0.02), and WC (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00, 0.01), P <0.001) and cognitive function, explaining approximately 4.46% (95% CI: 0.41% to 12.00%), 7.16% (95% CI: 0.36%, 17.00%), and 9.60% (95% CI: 1.11%, 25.00%) mediating proportion of the total effect, respectively. Our study highlights the potential mediating roles of sleep quality and DBP in the relationship between obesity and cognitive function. The findings contribute to understanding the obesity-cognition link in older adults, particularly in rural settings. However, limitations, such as self-reported sleep measures and unmeasured confounders, warrant caution. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and inform targeted interventions. Our study demonstrates a significant positive association between weight, body mass index (BMI), HC, and WC and cognitive function in older adults. These findings suggest that maintaining a moderately high level of overweight may be protective against cognitive decline in this population. Additionally, the study also provides insights into optimizing cognitive function through factors, such as sleep and BP management.

Exercise Testing and Training Strategies for Healthy and Frail Elderly

BackgroundExtreme temperature-related events can have a negative impact on the health of populations, especially the elderly. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship between heat exposure and cognitive function in older adults. We aim to explore the association between temperature and cognitive function through a national study of middle-aged and older adults.MethodsThis study was based on data from the 2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which screened 6,605 participants who met the inclusion criteria and merged historical meteorological data. We controlled for temperature-related meteorological variables and covariates affecting cognitive function, and used Generalized Linear Model to investigate the correlation between ambient temperature exposure and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Stepwise regression was used to examine the mediating role of depression levels in the impact of temperature on cognitive function.ResultsAfter controlling for covariates and meteorological variables, the number of days of high temperature exposure was significantly negatively associated with cognitive function. The number of days of high temperature exposure was positively associated with depression, and depression was negatively associated with cognitive function. Mediation effect analyses indicated that depression playing a partial mediating role in the association between high temperature exposure and cognitive function.ConclusionsHigh temperatures exposure was significantly associated with reduced cognitive function, and depression levels may partially mediate this association. This finding has important implications for the design of public policies to reduce the role of high temperatures on mental health.

Most studies of nonpharmacological interventions have used a combination of medications in experimental and control groups to improve cognitive functioning or to control symptoms, but the results have been inconsistent with respect to the effects of single nonpharmacological interventions on cognitive functioning in older patients with Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a single nonpharmacological intervention on cognitive functioning in older adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in the first week of January 2024, searching eight electronic databases for articles that reflect on non-pharmacological interventions in Alzheimer's disease published between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 2023. All included articles had to be randomized controlled trials. The primary measure was the change in cognitive function before and after the intervention. Data were extracted by two authors and quality was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook. With the exception of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale [MD=2.99, 95% CI (-0.66,6.63)], the differences between the intervention group and the control group were significant for all the remaining scales, namely, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) [SMD=0.65, 95% CI (0.15,1.15)], Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL) [MD=-2.30, 95% CI (-3.63,0.97)], Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (QoL-AD) [MD=5.03, 95% CI (2.27,7.78)], Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) [MD=-2.16, 95% CI (-3.86,0.46)], and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive score (ADAS-cog) [MD=-5.21, 95% CI (-7.89,2.54)]. Subgroup analysis revealed that the most effective intervention was exercise therapy, followed by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. On the other hand, music therapy was not found to be effective. Current evidence suggests that nonpharmacological interventions can be used to improve cognitive functioning in older adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. This study was registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42024497247).

As people age, declines in physiological functions can lead to changes in sleep and dietary patterns, potentially influencing cognitive function. However, longitudinal evidence examining how food consumption mediates the relationship between sleep parameters and cognitive function in Chinese older adults remains limited. Examining these longitudinal trajectories, beyond single-timepoint measurements, is crucial for understanding their dynamic nature and impact on cognitive function. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the longitudinal trajectories of sleep and food consumption in older adults, and to examine the mediating role of food consumption patterns in the sleep-cognition relationship. The sample population included 8724 older adults who derived from waves 4 to 7 (2005 to 2014) in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality, and food consumption were evaluated in face-to-face interviews. The main outcomes were global cognitive composite z scores. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) identified distinct long-term change patterns of sleep duration, sleep quality and food consumption, and generalized estimating equations (GEE) evaluated their prospective associations with global cognitive scores. Additionally, structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to assess the mediating role of food consumption in the relationships between sleep duration, sleep quality, and cognitive function. Food consumption mediated the associations between sleep duration, sleep quality, and cognitive function in older adults. After adjusting for confounders, decreasing low fruit and vegetable consumption mediated a negative impact on cognition, with both shortened (0.024, 95%CI: 0.003 to 0.048) and excessive sleep duration (0.076, 95%CI: 0.040 to 0.117) linked to decreasing low fruit and vegetable consumption. A rapid decline in meat, fish, egg, and bean consumption also mediated the negative effect of shorter sleep duration on cognition (mediation effects: -0.009, 95%CI: -0.014 to -0.005), whereas increased milk consumption acted as a complete mediator, positively influencing cognition. No mediating effect was observed for nuts consumption. Furthermore, stable, high-quality sleep promoted increased consumption of fruit and vegetable (0.039, 95%CI: 0.020 to 0.058), meat, fish, egg, and bean (-0.011, 95%CI: -0.133 to -0.088), milk (0.022, 95%CI: 0.001 to 0.043), and nuts (0.043, 95%CI: 0.021 to 0.065), all positively associated with cognitive levels. This study illustrates that food consumption can improve the decline in cognitive levels in older adults that may be undermined by unhealthy sleep habits. Our research findings are of great importance to both clinical practice and public health policy.

Objective : This pilot study aims to investigate the effects of computerized cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive function, depression, and rehabilitative motivation in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods : This pilot study follows a pre-post design and 15 older adults with MCI participated. The intervention comprised of 30-minute sessions 4 to 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment-G (LOTCA-G), the short form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K), and a volitional questionnaire (VQ) were employed to assess cognitive function, depression, and rehabilitative motivation. A statistical analysis using the paired t-test was performed to determine changes after the intervention. Results : Older adults with MCI showed significant improvement in cognitive function after intervention (p=.003). There were no significant changes in depression (p=.055) or rehabilitative motivation (p=.116). Conclusion : These findings suggest that computerized cognitive rehabilitation may have a positive effect on the improvement of cognitive function in older adults with MCI.

Studies addressing frailty in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS) are emergent. This study explores cognitive function in older adults with MS as a function of frailty status. This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a feasibility randomized controlled trial of a home-based exercise program for older adults with MS. Frailty was verified using performance scores from the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and cut points available in the literature. Cognitive function was assessed using the Brief International Cognitive Assessments for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS). Data were analyzed using inferential statistics adopting a significance of P < .05. Data from 26 older adults with MS (≥60 years) were analyzed. The majority of the participants were women, and over 85% of the sample had the relapsing-remitting form of MS. Participants reported a mean of more than 20 years of disease and a moderate level of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale score = 4). Nearly 58% of the sample was classified as frail based on SPPB scores. Univariate analysis demonstrated that frail older adults performed significantly worse (P < .05) on all 3 BICAMS tests. However, after controlling for age and disability level, only visuospatial memory remained significant between frailty groups (P = .043). Our findings suggest reduced cognitive function in frail older adults with MS compared with their nonfrail counterparts. This highlights the need to develop interventions to improve cognitive function and to reverse frailty for older adults with MS.

Older people suffer from reduced mental and cognitive parameters such as executive function, working memory and cognitive flexibility. However, information about how racquet sports can improve mental skills in older adults requires greater analysis and research. To verify the effects of badminton physical program on cognitive function in older adults. We sought to examine the beneficial effects of badminton physical programs on multi-cognitive domains among healthy older adults. Specific cognitive functions were measured using the Stroop Test, the Digit Span Test, and the Mini-Mental State Examination. 40 older adults recruited from the University of Monastir were allocated into two groups: the intervention group (IG, N = 20), enrolled in a badminton program, and the control group (CG, N = 20) participants were given typical duties and asked to stick to their daily schedule (book reading, home tasks). The physical activity protocol was performed three times a week, one hour per session, for a total period of two months. The activities proposed were not systematized and were aimed at promoting social interaction among participants. Our findings show no significant difference in the initial components between the intervention and control groups. Significant improvements in cognitive parameters were found after the physical program in the IG (p &lt; 0.05), except the Mini-Mental State Examination test (p = 0.33). Physical activity is considered one of the most therapeutic methods for improving mental capacities in older adults.