ECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH28
INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia and cognitive decline often happen together, accelerating frailty in older adults. While resistance training is the gold standard for prevention, it is often hard for sedentary individuals to maintain a routine. Adding gamified elements to circuit training (the "Fun Module") offers a promising way to increase engagement while delivering necessary Dual-task stimuli. However, it is not yet clear if this approach can effectively reverse physiological and cognitive decline in unconditioned older women at high risk. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a 12-week Gamified Cognitive-Motor Circuit Training on working memory, body composition, and isokinetic strength in older women at high risk of Sarcopenia. METHODS: We recruited 23 sedentary older women from the community who were identified as high-risk for Sarcopenia (due to low muscle mass or strength). Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the Intervention Group (EG, n=10; Age: 67.2 ± 2.93 yrs) and the Control Group (CG, n=13; Age: 70.1 ± 4.1 yrs). The EG performed the "Fun Module" program, which integrates hydraulic resistance circuit training with interactive cognitive games (3 sessions/week, 65-70 min/session) at moderate-to-vigorous intensity. The CG maintained their usual lifestyle. We measured the following at baseline and week 12: N-back task (0, 1, 2-back) for working memory, body composition (Muscle Mass [MM], Body Fat Percentage [BFP]), isokinetic knee extension strength (60°/s and 180°/s). RESULTS: The EG group attended more than 90% of the "Fun Module" sessions. (1) Executive Function: The EG showed greater improvements in Total N-back Accuracy and Reaction Time compared to the CG (p < 0.05). Notably, in the high-load 2-back task, EG accuracy improved significantly (+12.5%), while the CG showed a decline. This highlights the neuroprotective effect of the dual-task training. (2) Body Composition: The EG showed positive changes in body composition, with increased MM (+0.7 kg) and decreased BFP (-1.8%), while the CG lost muscle (p < 0.05). (3) Muscular Performance: We found significant group-by-time interactions (p < 0.01) for peak torque at both 60°/s and 180°/s. The EG achieved substantial gains in maximal strength and explosive power, effectively reversing the functional decline seen in the control group. CONCLUSION: The 12-week Gamified Cognitive-Motor Circuit Training is a feasible and effective strategy for sedentary older women at risk of sarcopenia. The "Fun Module" successfully reverses physical and cognitive decline by simultaneously boosting muscle quality and executive function. These findings support using gamification to overcome barriers to exercise and promote holistic health in older adults. (Supported by NSTC 112-2410-H-320-001-MY2 and Golden Smart Technology Corp. 1132B083, Taiwan.)
Read CV DYANI TSAIECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH28
INTRODUCTION: High-intensity exercise is widely used in health promotion due to its time efficiency and cardiometabolic benefits. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is well established, whereas high-intensity functional training (HIFT) integrates multimodal strength and endurance elements (Feito et al., 2018). Although cardiovascular responses to high-intensity exercise are well documented (Weston et al., 2014), its immediate effects on resting-state brain dynamics remain unclear. EEG microstates provide a validated framework to assess the temporal organization of whole-brain activity at rest (Michel & Koenig, 2018). This study compared the acute physiological and neurophysiological responses to HIIT and HIFT. METHODS: In a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design, thirty-nine healthy adults completed three conditions: HIIT, HIFT, and a non-exercise control session. Resting-state EEG was recorded before (PRE), 5 min after (POST1), and 45 minutes after (POST2) each condition. Physiological measures included oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate (LA), and blood pressure. EEG microstate parameters (global explained variance, duration, coverage, and occurrence) were extracted for four microstate classes. Statistical analyses were conducted using repeated-measures models with correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: HIFT elicited lower VO2, VCO2, and HR compared to HIIT (p < .001), while peak LA was higher following HIFT (p = .012). Immediate post-exercise systolic blood pressure was lower after HIFT compared to HIIT (p < .001), with no differences observed at 5 minutes post-exercise. Resting-state EEG microstate analysis revealed significant time-dependent modulation of several parameters across sessions. However, no statistically robust condition × time interaction survived correction for multiple comparisons. Time-dependent changes were also observed in the non-exercise control condition. CONCLUSION: Acute high-intensity exercise induced marked physiological stress responses that differed between HIIT and HIFT. In contrast, EEG microstate dynamics exhibited comparable temporal trajectories across all conditions. These findings indicate that exercise modality differentially affects acute cardiovascular load, whereas resting-state microstate reorganization primarily reflects a general time-related effect rather than a modality-specific neural response. These differences may be relevant for health-oriented exercise prescription, particu-larly in preventive contexts where cardiovascular load management is critical.
Read CV Carlos Augusto Allen PulucECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH28
INTRODUCTION: Walking rugby is an inclusive multifactorial sport derived from rugby football and can be enjoyed by older adults because running and body contact, including tackles and scrums, are prohibited. This study aimed to investigate exercise intensity, enjoyment, psychological effects, and potential risks associated with walking rugby in older adults. METHODS: Twenty-one recreationally active older adults with no previous experience of rugby or walking rugby participated in 3-min walking rugby games (excluding additional time) on Day 1 (substitution allowed) and Day 2 (no substitution), following the recommended rules of the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) with minor modifications. RESULTS: Heart rate (HR; wrist pulse rate) during the games on Days 1 and 2 was 63±9% and 75±10% (means±SDs) of age-predicted maximal HR, respectively. Physical activity levels measured using a triaxial accelerometer (1) were 3.0±0.6 and 3.8±0.6 METs, respectively. Ratings of perceived exertion (Borg’s 6–20 scale) were 12.1±1.3 on Day 1 and 12.8±1.8 on Day 2. Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale scores (2) were high on both days (87±8% and 86±14%, respectively). Feelings of vitality, arousal, and pleasure (3) improved after the games compared with before the games on both days. Two participants experienced a fall on each day; however, no injuries were reported. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that walking rugby may be a feasible and enjoyable health-promoting physical activity for older adults. (Acknowledgments) This research was supported in part by a grant from Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), University of Tsukuba. We thank JRFU for their assistance (References) 1. Otsuki T, Kotato T, Zempo-Miyaki A (2016) Habitual exercise decreases systolic blood pressure during low-intensity resistance exercise in healthy middle-aged and older individuals. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 311: H1024-30 2. Graves LE, Ridgers ND, Williams K, et al. (2010) The physiological cost and enjoyment of Wii Fit in adolescents, young adults, and older adults. J Phys Act Health 7: 393-401 3. Sakairi Y, Nakatsuka K, Shimizu T (2013) Development of the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale for self-monitoring and self-regulation of momentary mood states. Jpn Psychol Res 55:338-49
Read CV Takeshi OtsukiECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH28