New Study Shows Golf and Walking Boost Cognitive Function in Older Adults
A recent study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine has found that playing a single 18-hole round of golf or completing a 6 km Nordic or regular walking session can significantly improve immediate cognitive function in older adults.
The study, conducted by an international research team from the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Edinburgh, and ETH Zürich, aimed to investigate the effects of cognitively demanding aerobic activities on cognition and biological responses in healthy older participants.
The research involved 25 healthy older golfers aged 65 and above. They participated in three different acute bouts of aerobic exercise: an 18-hole golf round, a 6 km Nordic walking session, and a 6 km regular walking session. These exercises were carried out in real-life environments, with participants maintaining their typical brisk walking pace.
To assess cognitive function, the researchers used the Trail-Making Test (TMT) A and B, a commonly used tool for evaluating cognitive function in older adults. TMT-A measured lower cognitive functions like attention and processing speed, while TMT-B assessed more demanding executive functions such as task-switching ability. In addition, blood samples were collected to measure levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cathepsin B (CTSB), which have been suggested to reflect the benefits of exercise in the brain. Fitness monitoring devices and an ECG sensor were also used to record exercise-specific data like distance, duration, pace, energy expenditure, steps, and heart rate.
The findings of the study revealed that a single session of any of the three exercises – 18 holes of golf, 6 km Nordic walking, or 6 km regular walking – improved lower cognitive functions measured with the TMT-A test in older adults. However, no significant effects were observed on the levels of BDNF and CTSB. Nordic walking and regular walking were found to be associated with enhanced executive functions measured with the TMT-B test.
The study adds to previous research indicating the potential cognitive benefits of acute bouts of aerobic exercise. Factors such as intensity, duration, and type of exercise can influence the extent of improvement.
“These findings underscore the value of age-appropriate aerobic exercise, such as golf, Nordic walking, and regular walking, in maintaining and enhancing cognitive function among older adults,” says Julia Kettinen, the first author of the article and a Doctoral Researcher in Sports and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland. “Previous research has shown that exercise also holds promise as a potential strategy for those experiencing cognitive decline.”
The study, titled “Cognitive and biomarker responses in healthy older adults to an 18-hole golf round and different walking types: a randomized crossover study,” was authored by Julia Kettinen, Heikki Tikkanen, Mikko Hiltunen, Andrew Murray, Nils Horn, William R Taylor, and Mika Venojärvi. It was published on October 1, 2023, in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Further research and exploration of the cognitive benefits of these exercises could provide valuable insights and potentially pave the way for exercise interventions that target cognitive decline in older adults.