ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH02
INTRODUCTION: Depressive symptoms (DS) are associated with declines in physical function (PF), and exercise has been shown to be effective for the prevention of DS1. In addition, social frailty (SF) has been reported as one of the strongest risk factors for DS in older adults2. Furthermore, group-based exercise has been reported to confer greater health benefits than exercising alone.³ However, evidence regarding the association among PF, social factors, and DS remains limited. Therefore, this study examined the associations between PF—including hand grip strength (HGS), the five-times chair stand test (5CST), and the 2-step test—and DS, stratified by SF status. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 297 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years (age: 74.8 ± 6.2 years; women: n = 188). Participants were classified as follows: HGS (men <28 kg, women <18 kg)4, 5CST (≥12 s)4, and the 2-step test into four categories based on the ratio of stride length to height5. SF was assessed using the scale proposed by Makizako et al.⁶ In addition, DS were evaluated using the Japanese version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale 15 (GDS-15-J)7. Two-way ANCOVA was performed with PF and SF as independent variables and the GDS-15-J score as the dependent variable, adjusting for age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS: Main effects of lower PF linked to higher GDS-15-J scores (HGS: P = 0.038; 5CST: P < 0.001; two-step test: P < 0.001). In addition, SF showed a strong main effect across all PF measures (P < 0.001), indicating higher GDS-15-J scores among participants with SF. No significant interaction effects between PF and SF were observed. CONCLUSION: HGS, 5CST, and the 2-step test were associated with DS. However, regardless of the type or severity of PF decline, the presence of SF was consistently associated with higher GDS-15-J scores. These findings suggest that, in addition to exercise-based interventions, addressing SF may be essential for DS prevention in community-dwelling older adults. References 1. Singh et al, A Randomized Controlled Trial of High Versus Low Intensity Weight Training Versus General Practitioner Care for Clinical Depression in Older Adults. 2005 2. Li et al, Prevalence and potential influencing factors for social frailty among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2024 3. Kanamori et al, Exercising alone versus with others and associations with subjective health status in older Japanese: The JAGES Cohort Study. 2016 4. Chen et al, Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment. 2020 5. Tanaka et al, Clinical prediction rule for locomotive syndrome in older adults: A decision tree model. 2023 6. Makizako et al, Social Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults as a Risk Factor for Disability. 2015 7. Sugishita et al, A Validity and Reliability Study of the Japanese Version of the Geriatric Depression Scale 15 (GDS-15-J). 2017
Read CV Tomoya ShimabukuroECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH02
Introduction Acute PA bouts transiently enhance children’s executive functions (EFs; e.g., Cabral et al., 2025). Incorporating brief PA bouts into school routines represents a feasible strategy to reduce sedentary time while supporting learning and academic performance. However, evidence on short PA bouts (< 20 minutes), which are most compatible with classroom practice, remains limited (Dixon et al., 2025). Consequently, it is unclear whether bout duration per se or other PA characteristics, such as delivery mode, drive acute EF benefits. Therefore, this study examines the dose–response relationship between PA bout durations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes and EF outcomes in children, while additionally exploring the role of specific PA characteristics. Methods A total of 86 schoolchildren (M = 11.7 years, SD = 0.75; 57% female) participated in the study. Children completed four experimental conditions that differed in PA bout duration (5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes). In all conditions, participants engaged in the exergame Astrofit, an active video game specifically designed and developed for this intervention to deliver cognitively engaging PA bouts in a structured group-based setting while allowing individualization of activity levels. EFs were assessed immediately after each bout using the Hearts and Flowers task (Davidson et al., 2006). Questionnaires assessing specific PA characteristics were administered before the bout, every 5 minutes during gameplay, and after the bout. Results EF performance did not differ significantly across PA bout durations (η²ₚs = 0.01). Habitual PA behavior was a significant covariate, with children with higher habitual PA levels showing better EF performance (η²ₚ = 0.11). Beyond PA bout duration, specific quantitative characteristics (intensity) and qualitative characteristics (perceived stress, cognitive engagement, valence) of the PA bouts, as well as the delivery mode reflected in game performance, showed small but significant associations with EF outcomes (rs =-.17 to .18). Discussion This study found no differences in EFs across PA bout durations, suggesting that short PA bouts between 5 and 20 minutes may be similarly effective. Instead, bout characteristics and mode of delivery were associated with EFs performance, emphasizing that how PA bouts are designed and implemented may matter more than duration per se. These findings highlight the relevance of well-designed, group-based exergames in school settings, where enjoyment, cognitive challenge, and intensity appear more important for EF benefits than bout duration alone. References Cabral et al., 2025, Int J Sport Exerc Psychol Dixon et al., 2025, Ment Health Phys Act Davidson et al., 2006, Neuropsychologia
Read CV Cäcilia ZehnderECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH02
INTRODUCTION: Visual-cognitive abilities, including visual working memory, peripheral vision, and accommodative speed, are critical determinants of esports performance, where players must rapidly process dynamic visual information and shift attention between multiple spatial targets. Despite their importance, evidence supporting targeted visual training interventions in esports remains limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of a four-week esports-specific eye movement exercise (EME) program on visual skill performance in amateur esports players. METHODS: Thirty female amateur esports players were randomly assigned to a training group (EME: age 22 ± 2 years) or a control group (CN: age 21 ± 2 years). The EME group completed a four-week ocular-motor training program consisting of twice-daily exercise sessions, while the control group maintained their usual daily activities. Visual skills were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using computerized tests of visual working memory (1-back and 2-back), dynamic peripheral vision, and near–far accommodation. Response time and accuracy were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA to examine the effects of time and group. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in the EME group for visual working memory and accommodative speed (p < .05). In the 1-back task, a significant time-by-group interaction was found for response time, with faster responses following training compared with baseline (p < .05) and the control group (p < .05). Similarly, in the 2-back task, significant main effects of time and time-by-group interactions indicated faster post-training responses in the EME group (p < .05). Near–far accommodation also demonstrated significant time and interaction effects, with markedly shorter response times after four weeks of training (p < .05). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in dynamic peripheral vision accuracy in either group (p > .05). CONCLUSION: A four-week esports-specific EME program significantly enhanced visual working memory and near–far accommodative speed in amateur esports players, reflecting improvements in visual-cognitive processing and visual flexibility. Although peripheral vision accuracy did not change, the observed gains in response speed suggest that short-term ocular-motor training can meaningfully enhance key visual skills relevant to esports performance.
Read CV Papatsorn RamyarangsiECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH02