Effects of acute moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise on executive function and prefrontal cortex activity in community‐dwelling older adults: A single‐blind, randomized controlled trial

Aim To date, there is a controversy regarding the effects of acute aerobic exercise of moderate intensity on executive function and prefrontal cortex activity in community‐dwelling older adults. This study aimed to investigate the effects of acute aerobic exercise of moderate intensity in healthy older adults. Methods Fifty‐six healthy older adults were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) that performed moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise or the wait‐list control group (CG) for a total of 15 sessions. To compare the two groups, the Stroop Color‐Word Task (SCWT) and the Trail‐Making Test Part B (TMT‐B) were implemented for executive function and prefrontal cortex activity during executive function testing. Results After the intervention, the EG achieved a significant improvement in the SCWT ( P < 0.001; η 2 = 0.196) and the TMT‐B ( P < 0.001; η 2 = 0.245) compared with the CG. In addition, the EG showed a lower HbO2 concentration in the prefrontal cortex than the CG during the SCWT ( P < 0.05; η 2 = 0.076) and the TMT‐B ( P < 0.05; η 2 = 0.090). Conclusions These findings shed new light on the clinical effectiveness of acute moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise on executive function and prefrontal cortex activity in healthy older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 227–232 .