Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Originalia

Zum Zusammenhang zwischen körperlicher Aktivität und kognitiver Leistung im höheren Erwachsenenalter

Mediatoreffekte der körperlichen Fitness und Depressivität

Published Online:April 19, 2012https://doi.org/10.1026/0943-8149/a000053

Abstract

Zusammenfassung. Bisherige Forschungsergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass körperliche Aktivität zur Aufrechterhaltung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit im Alter beiträgt. Welche Wirkmechanismen dabei eine Rolle spielen, ist noch nicht eindeutig geklärt. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, die Bedeutung der kardiovaskulären Fitness, der Kraftleistung sowie der Depressivität als Mediatoren zwischen körperlicher Aktivität und verschiedenen fluiden kognitiven Fähigkeiten im Alter unter Anwendung von Strukturgleichungsmodellen zu untersuchen. N = 208 Probanden (83 männlich) im Alter zwischen 60 und 80 Jahren wurden im Rahmen einer Querschnittserhebung untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass eine hohe körperliche Aktivität im Alter mit einer hohen kardiovaskulären Fitness und Kraftleistung, sowie einer geringen Depressivität einhergeht. Eine hohe kardiovaskuläre Fitness sowie eine hohe Kraftleistung gehen wiederum mit einer hohen Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit und einer hohen Leistung im logischen Schlussfolgern und räumlichen Vorstellen einher. Eine hohe Kraftleistung weist darüber hinaus einen positiven Zusammenhang zur verbalen Gedächtnisleistung auf. Zwischen dem Ausmaß der Depressivität und der kognitiven Leistung konnten hingegen keine Zusammenhänge nachgewiesen werden. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass eher Indikatoren der körperlichen Fitness als psychologische Wirkmechanismen den Zusammenhang zwischen körperlichen Aktivität und kognitiven Fähigkeiten im Alter erklären könnten. Implikationen für Forschung und Praxis werden diskutiert.


The relationships between physical activity and cognitive performance in older adults: Mediating effects of fitness and depression

Abstract. Recent research has shown that physical activity contributes to the maintenance of cognitive functioning in old age. However, it has not yet been fully understood which mechanisms are responsible for that relationship. On the basis of structural equation modelling the objective of this study is to examine the role of cardiovascular fitness, strength, and depression as mediators between physical activity and several fluid cognitive abilities. N = 208 participants (83 males) between 60 and 80 years were tested with a cross sectional design. Results show that a higher level of physical activity is related to a higher level of cardiovascular fitness and strength and also to a lower level of depression. Both a higher level of cardiovascular fitness as well as strength are, in turn, related to higher performance levels with respect to processing speed, reasoning, and spatial relations. Additionally, a higher level of strength is positively related to verbal memory performance. However, there are no relations between the level of depression and cognitive performance. These results suggest that the indicator of physical fitness rather than psychological mechanisms might explain the relation between physical activity and cognitive functioning in old age. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Literatur

  • Abbott, R. D. , White, L. R. , Ross, G. W. , Masaki, K. H. , Curb, J. D. & Petrovich, H. (2004). Walking and dementia in physically capable men. Journal of the American Medical Association, 12, 1447–1453. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • American College of Sports Medicine (2006). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (7. Aufl.). Philadelphia: Lippincott. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Angevaren, M. , Aufdemkampe, G. , Verhaar, H. J. J. , Aleman, A. & Vanhees, L. (2008). Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD005381. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005381.pub3. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Arbuckle, J. L. (1997). Amos users’ guide version 3.6. Chicago, IL: SmallWaters. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Arent, S. M. , Landers, D. M. , Etnier, J. L. (2000). The effects of exercise on mood in older adults: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 8, 407–430. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Baltes, P. B. , Staudinger, U. , Lindenberger, U. (1999). Lifespan psychology: Theory and application to intellectual functioning. Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 471–507. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Barnes, D. E. , Yaffe, K. , Satariano, W. A. , Trager, I. B. (2003). A longitudinal study of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in healthy older adults. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 51, 459–465. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bartholomew, J. B. , Ciccolo, J. C. (2008). Exercise, depression, and cognition. In W. W. Spirduso, L. W. Poon, W. Chodzko-Zajko, (Eds.), Exercise and its mediating effects on cognition (pp. 33–46). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Beats, B. C. , Sahakian, B. J. , Levy, R. (1996). Cognitive performance in tests sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction in the elderly depressed. Psychological Medicine, 26, 591–603. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Blumenthal, J. A. , Emery, C. F. , Madden, D. J. , George, L. K. , Coleman, R. E. , Riddle, M. et al. (1989). Cardiovascular and behavioral effects of aerobic exercise training in healthy older men and women. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Science and Medical Science, 44, M147-M157. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bös, K. (2003). Der 2 km-Walking-Test. Alters- und geschlechtsspezifische Normwerte. Gesundheitssport und Sporttherapie, 19, 201–207. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bös, K. , Tittlbach, S. , Pfeiffer, K. , Stoll, O. & Woll, A. (2001). Motorische Verhaltenstests. In K. Bös (Hrsg.), Handbuch motorische Tests (S.1–207). Göttingen: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Boone, K. B. , Lesser, I. , Miller, B. , Wohl, M. , Berman, N. , Lee, A. , Palmer, B. (1994). Cognitive functioning in a mildly to moderately depressed geriatric sample: Relationship to chronological age. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 6, 267–272. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Borst, S. E. , De Hoyos, D. V. , Garzarelle, L. , Vincent, K. , Pollock, B. H. , Lowenthal, D. T. et al. (2001). Effects of resistance training on insulin-like growth factor-I and IGF binding proteins. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33, 648–653. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bortz, J. , Döring, N. (2009). Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler (4. überarb. Aufl.). Heidelberg: Springer. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Brickenkamp, R. (2002). Aufmerksamkeits-Belastungs-Test (9. überarbeitete und neu normierte Auflage). Göttingen: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Carmelli, D. , Swan, G. E. , LaRue, A. & Eslinger, P. J. (1997). Correlates of change in cognitive function in survivors from the Western Collaborative Group Study. Neuroepidemiology, 16, 285–295. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cassilhas, R. C. , Viana, V. A. R. , Grassmann, V. , Santos, R. T. , Santos, R. F. , Tufik, S. et al. (2007). The impact of resistance exercise on the cognitive function of the elderly. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39, 1401–1407. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Chodzko-Zajko, W. J. , Proctor, D. N. , Fiatarone Singh, M. A. , Minson, C. T. , Nigg, C. R. , Salem, G. J. et al. (2009). Exercise and physical activity for older adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41, 1510–1530. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Christensen, H. , Mackinnon, A. (1993). The association between mental, social and physical activity and cognitive performance in young and old subjects. Age and Ageing, 22, 175–182. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Colcombe, S. , Kramer, A. F. (2003). Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: A meta-analytic study. Psychological Science, 14, 125–130. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cotmann, C. W. , Berchtold, N. C. (2002). Exercise: A behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity. Trends in Neuroscience, 25, 295–301. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Dunn, A. L. , Trivedi, M. H. , O’Neal, H. A. (2001). Physical activity dose-response effects on outcomes of depression and anxiety. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33, 587–597. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Etnier, J. L. (2008). Interrelationships of exercise, mediator variables, and cognition. In W. W. Spirduso, L. W. Poon, W. Chodzko-Zajko, (Eds.), Exercise and its mediating effects on cognition (pp. 13–30). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Etnier, J. L. , Nowell, P. M. , Landers, D. M. , Sibley, B. A. (2006). A meta-regression to examine the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance. Brain Research Reviews, 52, 119–130. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Etnier, J. L. , Salazar, W. , Landers, D. M. , Petruzzello, S. J. , Han, M. , Nowell, P. (1997). The influence of physical fitness and exercise upon cognitive functioning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, 249–277. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Faul, F. , Erdfelder, E. , Lang, A.-G. , Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 175–191. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hautzinger, M. , Bailer, M. (1993). Allgemeine Depressions-Skala (ADS). Manual. Göttingen: Beltz. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Helmchen, H. , Baltes, M.M. , Geiselmann, B. , Kanowski, S. , Linden, M. , Reischies, F. M. et al. (1996). Psychische Erkrankungen im Alter. In K. U. Mayer, P. B. Baltes, (Hrsg.), Die Berliner Altersstudie (S. 185–220). Berlin: Akademie. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Hillman, C. H. , Erickson, K. I. , Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: Exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9, 58–65. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hu, L. T. , Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (2. Aufl.) New York: Guilford Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Kruse, A. (2007). Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung im Alter. In K. Hurrrelmann, T. Klotz, J. Haisch, (Hrsg.), Lehrbuch Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung (2. Aufl.) (S. 81–91). Bern: Huber. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Lachman, M. E. , Neupert, S. D. , Bertrand, R. , Jette, A. M. (2006). The effects of strength training on memory in older adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 14, 59–73. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Landers, D. M. , Arent, S. M. (2007). Physical activity and mental health. In G. Tenenbaum, R. C. Eklund, (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology (3rd ed., pp. 469–491). New York: Wiley. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • LaRue, A. , Swan, G. E. , Carmelli, D. (1995). Cognition and depression in a cohort of aging men: Results from the western collaborative group study. Psychology and Aging, 10, 30–33. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Little, T. D. , Cunningham, W. A. , Shahar, G. & Widaman, K. F. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits. Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 151–173. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Liu-Ambrose, T. , Nagamatsu, L. S. , Graf, P. , Beattie, B. L. , Ashe, M. C. , Handy, T. C. (2010). Resistance training and executive functions. A 12-month randomized controlled trial. Archives of Internal Medicine, 170, 170–178. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Martinsen, E. W. (2008). Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 62, 25–29. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Martinsen, E. W. , Morgan, W. P. (1997). Antidepressant effects of physical activity. In W. P. Morgan, (Ed.), Physical activity and mental health (pp. 93–106). London, UK: Taylor & Francis. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • MacKinnon, D. P. , Lockwood, C. M. , Hoffman, J. M. , West, S. G. & Sheets, V. (2002). A comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects. Psychological Methods, 7, 83–104. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Oswald, W. D. , Fleischmann, U. M. (1999). Nürnberger-Alters-Inventar (NAI). Testinventar & NAI Testmanual und Textband. Göttingen: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Oswald, W. D. , Roth, E. (1987). Der Zahlen-Verbindungs-Test (ZVT). (2. überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage). Göttingen: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Perrig-Chiello, P. , Perrig, W. J. , Ehrsam, R. , Staehelin, H. B. , Krings, F. (1998). The effects of resistance training on well-being and memory in elderly volunteers. Age and Ageing, 27, 469–475. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Rikli, R. E. , Jones, C. J. (2001). Senior fitness test manual. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Rost, D. (2009). Intelligenz: Fakten und Mythen. Weinheim: Beltz. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Sjösten, N. , Kivelä, S.-L. (2006). The effects of physical exercise on depressive symptoms among the aged: A systematic review. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21, 410–418. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Spirduso, W. W. (1975). Reaction and movement time as a function of age and physical activity level. Journal of Gerontology, 30, 435–440. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sturm, W. , Willmes, K. , Horn, W. (1993). Leistungsprüfsystem für 50-90-Jährige (LPS 50+). Göttingen: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Taylor, A. B. , MacKinnon, D. P. , Tein, J.-Y. (2008). Tests of the three-path mediated effect. Organizational Research Methods, 11, 241–269. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Verghese, J. , Lipton, R. B. , Katz, M. J. , Hall, C. B. , Derby, C. A. , Kuslansky, G. et al. (2003). Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine, 348, 2508–2516. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Voelcker-Rehage, C. , Godde, B. , Staudinger, U. M. (2010). Physical and motor fitness are both related to cognition in old age. European Journal of Neuroscience, 31, 167–176. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wilson, R. S. , Bennett, D. A. , Bienias, J. L. , Mendes de Leon, C. F. , Morris, M. C. , Evans, D. A. (2003). Cognitive activity and cognitive decline in a biracial community population. Neurology, 61, 812–816. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wilson, R. S. , Scherr, P. A. , Schneider, J. A. , Li, Y. , Bennett, D. A. (2007). The relation of cognitive activity to risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology, 69, 1911–1920. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wagner, P. , Singer, R. (2003). Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung habitueller körperlicher Aktivität verschiedener Bevölkerungsgruppen. Sportwissenschaft, 33, 383–395. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Yaffe, K. , Barnes, D. , Nevitt, M. , Lui, L. Y. , Covinsky, K. (2001). A prospective study of physical activity and cognitive decline in elderly women: Women who walk. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161, 1703–1708. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar