The Effects of 8-Week Traditional Aerobic Exercise and Exergaming on Dual-Task Performance and Prefrontal Cortex Activation in Older Adults.
Cheng-Liang Chang, Wen-Yi Chen, Chien-Yu Pan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial compared 8 weeks of exergaming with traditional aerobic exercise in 33 older adults (mean age 64.2 ± 5.5 years). Participants completed supervised, moderate-intensity sessions three times weekly. Both groups improved physical fitness and Stroop-task accuracy. Exergaming produced superior performance only during the fast dual-task condition (P = 0.005); no between-group differences appeared in single-task or slow dual-task performance. Prefrontal oxygenated and total hemoglobin decreased over time, with larger reductions in the exergaming group, while deoxygenated hemoglobin showed no significant effects.
Key findings
- Both groups improved estimated VO₂ max (P < 0.001), chair stand repetitions (P = 0.009), and timed up-and-go performance (P < 0.001).
- Task accuracy increased across all conditions after training (P < 0.001); exergaming was superior only in the fast dual-task condition (P = 0.005).
- Oxygenated (P < 0.003) and total hemoglobin (P = 0.015) decreased over time, with larger reductions in the exergaming group; deoxygenated hemoglobin showed no significant effects.
Why it matters
Dual-task performance is relevant to functioning in older adults, and this trial suggests that exercise modality may matter when cognitive and motor demands are high. The findings also link exergaming with greater reductions in prefrontal hemoglobin measures, although these physiological changes should be interpreted alongside the behavioral results rather than as evidence of a clinical benefit.
What to keep in mind
The trial included 33 participants and assessed outcomes before and after an 8-week intervention; longer-term effects are not reported in the abstract.