Effectiveness of the Combined Exercise and Cognitive Training System in Enhancing Frontal Lobe Function in Older Adults: A Randomized Control Study.

AIM: This study was aimed at comparing the effects of a driving-related combined exercise and cognitive training system intervention on frontal lobe function in older adults with an active control group that performed aerobic exercises.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, 90 community-dwelling older adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to the intervention (n = 45) or control groups (n = 45). The intervention group participated in a combined exercise-cognitive multitask training program for six consecutive weeks, whereas the active control group performed matched-intensity aerobic exercises during the same period. Cognitive function was assessed using the Trail Making Test Parts A and B (TMT-A and B) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Changes in the hemodynamics of the frontopolar cortex (FPC) during the task were measured using portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention, and follow-up time points.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 44 and 40 participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively. TMT-A and B results and FAB scores showed no significant differences between the groups at any time point. Similarly, fNIRS analysis showed no significant differences in hemodynamic reactivity in the FPC between the intervention and active control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the multitask training system did not confer additional benefits beyond aerobic exercise under a low-intensity, short-duration protocol in older adults, with no significant improvements in cognitive performance or frontopolar hemodynamic reactivity. Future studies should incorporate extended intervention periods and evaluate outcomes in diverse demographic populations to establish the additional advantages of driving behavior-related multitask training compared with aerobic exercises.