Short and Long-Term Trainability in Older Adults: Training and Detraining Following Two Years of Multicomponent Cognitive—Physical Exercise Training

Abstract

Despite the benefits of multicomponent physical–cognitive training programs (MCCogTPs), lower training intensities in the concurrent approach, and bigger heterogeneity with aging, suggest the need for long-term analyses, with special attention to training and detraining in older adults. The present study aims to examine these training/detraining effects in a two year MCCogTP, looking for specific dynamics in the trainability of their physical and cognitive capacities. The intervention was divided into four periods: T1, T2 (8 months of training each), and D1, D2 (3.5 months of detraining plus 0.5 of testing each). Twenty-five healthy seniors (70.82 ± 5.18 years) comprised the final sample and were assessed for cardiovascular fitness (6-minutes walking test), lower-limbs strength (30-seconds chair-stand test) and agility (8-feet timed up-and-go test). Inhibition (Stroop test) was considered for executive function. Physical and cognitive status improved significantly (p < 0.05) throughout the two years, with larger enhancements for physical function (mainly strength and agility). Strength and cardiovascular fitness were more sensitive to detraining, whilst agility proved to have larger training retentions. Inhibition followed an initial similar trend, but it was the only variable to improve along D2 (d = 0.52), and changes were not significant within periods. Notwithstanding aging, and the exercise cessation in D2, physical and cognitive status remained enhanced two years later compared to baseline, except for lower-limb strength. According to these results, basic physical capacities are very sensitive to training/detraining, deserving continuous attention (especially strength). Both reducing detraining periods and complementary resistance training should be considered. Additionally, physical enhancements following MCcogTPs may help cognition maintenance during detraining.

Can Exercise Help Regulate Blood Pressure and Improve Functional Capacity of Older Women with Hypertension against the Deleterious Effects of Physical Inactivity?

“…The FC improvements observed were similar to those of Hortobágyi et al [22] and Marcos-Pardo et al [23]. After 8 months of METP, Blasco-Lafarga et al [24] reported improvements in lower body strength (20.23%), agility (22.32%), and aerobic capacity (14.54%), and Leitão et al [10] observed a 11.06% improvement in aerobic capacity after 9 months of MEP, both in normotensive older women.…”

Continuous Compared to Accumulated Walking-Training on Physical Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Sedentary Older Persons

“…Although positive effects of aerobic training programs have been demonstrated to elicit selective impacts in areas of executive functions (such as multi-tasking, planning, and inhibition) [11][12][13], surprisingly, in this study we found no-significant improvements in executive function (interference) after the intervention. Recently, it has been observed how cognitive performance (inhibition function) could be maintained or even improved after a period of training cessation [67], experimenting with a slower and more delayed evolution regarding physical function [68,69]. Given that detraining has not been evaluated in this study, we cannot confirm this effect, but in any case, some authors consider that maintaining executive function at these ages can also be considered a beneficial effect after this type of intervention [70].…”

Inspiratory Muscle Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness Association With Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adults

“…Noteworthy, women presented inspiratory muscle strength values a 30.48% below the mean for their age, while men are 15.61% below the mean according to Black and Hyatt ( 1969 ). However, previous studies of the group pointed out that these lower MIP values were due to differences in the device of assessment (manual vs. electronic), leading to a false sense of low values (Roldán et al, 2019 ; Blasco-Lafarga et al, 2020 ). An idea supported by the results in Alvarenga et al ( 2018 ).…”

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