Are Aerobics Trophic for Cognition in Late Life?

Introduction: Aging of the population is an issue of great public health significance. Forecasts indicate that the number of Americans 65 years of age and older will increase from 39 million in 2008 to between 99 million and 108 million by 2050 [1]. The population aged 85 years or older is projected to rise from 5.4 million in 2008 to between 25 million and 35 million by 2050 [1]. These changes will bring new challenges in treating a greater number of older adults with psychiatric conditions [2]. Especially important will be the recognition, prevention, and treatment of neurocognitive disorders. Cognitive ability is a significant predictor of self-rated successful aging [3]. Indeed, cognitive ability is one of the major correlates of successful aging, along with optimism, resilience, and physical and mental health–related quality of life [3]. Age-associated cognitive decline that is greater than expected but without significant functional disability is designated mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is an increasingly recognized neuropsychiatric problem in the aging population that is an important risk factor for dementia and subsequent institutionalization [4–6]. Despite these data, no medications are currently available for treating MCI in the aging population that are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration [6]. It is reasonable to hypothesize that exercise may be an important intervention for promoting successful cognitive aging. Exercise has a documented role in preventing cellular and molecular changes related to aging [7, 8]. Furthermore, exercise has been shown to improve at least some aspects of cognition in animal models and in clinical investigations [9, 10]. Data from the present study suggest that aerobic exercise may be an effective nonpharmacologic intervention for preserving healthy cognition and possibly alleviating disability associated with MCI in late life.