Expert on prolonging life suggests pairing mental exercises with physical activity for optimal aging, offering guidance on implementation.
Brain Endurance Training Improves Cognitive and Physical Performance in Older Adults
Brain endurance training (BET), a unique approach that combines cognitive challenges with physical exercise, has shown significant benefits for older adults, enhancing both cognitive and physical performance.
The Study
A recent study, published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, involved 24 healthy sedentary women aged 65-78. The participants were divided into three groups: BET, exercise only, and a control group. Each group completed three 45-minute exercise sessions weekly, with 20 minutes of resistance exercise and 25 minutes of endurance training.
The Training Protocol
The BET group followed a training protocol that was repeated three times per week for four weeks, after which it was changed. The study used a selection of different cognitive tasks for each training block to maintain motivation and engagement.
Cognitive Benefits
BET has been found to improve global cognition, including memory, executive function, and inhibitory control, which are critical for everyday mental tasks [1][3]. It also increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports synaptic plasticity and hippocampal neurogenesis, thus promoting brain health and slowing age-related cognitive decline [1][3].
BET has shown benefits for older adults both with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment, potentially delaying progression toward dementia [3]. It boosts mental sharpness and delays cognitive decline through a combination of aerobic activity, resistance training, and mind-body focus, as seen in related modalities like barre fitness [2].
Physical Benefits
BET also improves physical performance by enhancing muscle strength, endurance, and overall physical functionality essential for healthy aging [1][3]. It improves physiological adaptations such as increased vascular endothelial growth factor, growth hormone, and IGF-1, contributing to better muscle and brain health [1].
Implementation
To implement BET for personal use, follow established resistance training guidelines as a foundation: 2–3 sessions per week, 45–60 minutes each, including 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps targeting major muscle groups using weights, bands, or bodyweight exercises [3].
Combine these physical sessions with cognitive challenges such as dual-task training, memory tasks, problem-solving activities, or brain games performed simultaneously or immediately before/during exercise [4]. Incorporate mind-body exercises (e.g., barre, tai chi, yoga) that engage both mental focus and physical movement to stimulate brain-body connections and reduce stress [2].
Aim for consistency over at least 12 weeks to see measurable improvements in cognition and physical function [1]. Adjust intensity progressively to apply the principle of overload, gradually increasing difficulty for both cognitive tasks and physical resistance for continuous adaptation [3].
Results
The BET group showed a 7.8% increase in cognitive performance after exercise, outperforming the exercise-only and control groups. In physical performance, the BET group improved by 29.9%, compared to the exercise-only group's 22.4% and the control group's 7.1%.
Conclusion
BET in older adults synergizes cognitive and physical exercise to significantly improve mental functions and physical health, supporting healthy aging and functional independence. Personal implementation should blend resistance and aerobic training with concurrent cognitive tasks and be performed regularly with progressive challenge for best results. BET can be easily incorporated and practiced independently or with a trainer.
Note
Professor Chris Ring, the study's lead author, believes BET has potential to improve healthspan in older adults. He suggests the Soma NPT app by Soma Technologies for cognitive tasks, although it requires a monthly membership of $49. The study used the psychomotor vigilance test and the Stroop color-word interference test.
BET, originally developed for elite athletes, has now been found to address cognitive decline in older adults, offering a promising approach for maintaining cognitive health and functional independence in later life.
Brain endurance training, initially designed for elite athletes, is now found beneficial for older adults, addressing cognitive decline and promoting functional independence. This unique approach, which combines cognitive challenges with fitness and exercise, can enhance health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and even slow down aging-related cognitive decline by boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and improving physical performance through increased muscle strength and endurance. Implementing brain endurance training involves regular sessions of resistance and cardio workouts, along with concurrent cognitive tasks or mind-body exercises like yoga or tai chi.
