Cardiorespiratory Fitness Moderates the Age-Related Association Between Executive Functioning and Mobility: Evidence From Remote Assessments

Background and Objectives

In older adults, executive functions are important for daily-life function and mobility. Evidence suggests that the relationship between cognition and mobility is dynamic and could vary according to individual factors, but whether cardiorespiratory fitness reduces the age-related increase of interdependence between mobility and cognition remains unexplored.

Research Design and Methods

One hundred eighty-nine participants (aged 50-87) were divided into 3 groups according to their age: middle-aged (MA; <65), young older adults (YOA; 65-74), and old older adults (OOA; ≥75). Participants performed Timed Up and Go and executive functioning assessments (Oral Trail Making Test and Phonologic verbal fluency) remotely by videoconference. Participants completed the Matthews questionnaire to estimate their cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max in ml/min/kg). A 3-way moderation was used to address whether cardiorespiratory fitness interacts with age to moderate the relationship between cognition and mobility.

Results

Results showed that the cardiorespiratory fitness × age interaction moderated the association between executive functioning and mobility (β = -0.05; p = .048; R2 = 17.6; p < .001). At lower levels of physical fitness (<19.16 ml/min/kg), executive functioning significantly influenced YOA's mobility (β = -0.48, p = .004) and to a greater extent OOA's mobility (β = -0.96, p = .002).

Discussion and Implications

Our results support the idea of a dynamic relationship between mobility and executive functioning during aging and suggest that physical fitness could play a significant role in reducing their interdependency.

Videoconference version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment: normative data for Quebec-French people aged 50 years and older

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic forced health professionals to rapidly develop and implement telepractice and remote assessments. Recent reviews appear to confirm the validity of a wide range of neuropsychological tests for teleneuropsychology and among these, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a cognitive screening test widely used in clinical settings. The normative data specific to the context of videoconference administration is essential, particularly that consider sociodemographic characteristics.

Aims

This study had for objective to develop French-Quebec normative data for videoconference-administration of the MoCA that consider sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

A total of 230 community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older taking part in clinical trials completed the MoCA by videoconference. Regression analyses were run with sex, education, and age as predictors of the total MoCA scores, based on previously published norms. As an exploratory analysis, a second regression analysis was also run with cardiovascular disease as a predictor.

Results

Regression analyses revealed that older age and lower education were associated with poorer total MoCA scores, for medium effect size (p < 0.001, R² = 0.17). Neither sex nor cardiovascular disease, were significant predictors in our analyses. For clinicians, a regression equation was proposed to calculate Z scores.

Discussion

This study provides normative data for the MoCA administered via videoconference in Quebec-French individuals aged 50 years and over.

Conclusions

The present normative data will not only allow clinicians to continue to perform assessments remotely in this pandemic period but will also allow them to perform cognitive assessments to patients located in remote areas.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40520-022-02092-1.

Investigation of the Effects of Home-Based Exercise and Cognitive Training on Cognitive and Physical Functions in Cardiac Patients: The COVEPICARDIO Study Protocol of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, confinement measures are likely to produce collateral damage to health (stress, confusion, anxiety), especially in frail individuals and those living with cardiovascular disease (CVD). In cardiac patients in particular, these measures dramatically increase the level of physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle, which can decrease cardiorespiratory capacity and increase the risk of acute events, rehospitalization, and depressive syndromes. Maintaining a minimum level of physical activity and cognitive stimulation during the COVID-19 crisis is essential for cardiac patients. This study is designed to document the effects of 6 months of home-based physical exercise alone or combined with cognitive training on cognitive and physical functions in patients with CVD over 50 years old.

Methods and Analysis: 122 patients (>50 years old) with stable CVD and no contraindication to perform physical exercise training will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of the 2 following arms: (1) Home-based physical exercise alone, (2) Home-based physical exercise combined with cognitive training. The intervention lasts 6 months, with remote assessments performed prior to, mid and post-training. A follow-up 6 months after the end of the intervention (12 month) is also proposed. The primary outcome is cognition, including general functioning (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score), as well as performances on measures of executive functions, processing speed, and episodic memory. The secondary outcome is physical performance, including balance, gait and mobility, leg muscle strength and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness. Tertiary outcomes include mood, anxiety, and health-related quality of life as assessed by self-reported online questionnaires.

Discussion: With the COVID-19 crisis, there is a critical need for remote exercise and cognitive training, and to further investigate this topic, in particular for cardiac patients. The present context can be viewed as an opportunity to perform a major shift from center-based programs to home-based physical exercise. This is especially important to reach out to older adults living in remote areas, where access to such interventions is limited.

ClinicalTrials.gov: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04661189], NCT04661189.

Performances on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Along the Cardiovascular Disease Continuum

 

Cardiovascular diseases involve a continuum starting with risk factors, which can progress to coronary heart disease and eventually, to heart failure. Cognitive impairment (CI) is observed as early as cardiovascular risk factors, and in up to 50% of patients with heart failure. Because CI in cardiovascular disease is linked to poorer clinical outcomes, early detection is essential. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a screening tool widely used in clinical setting. To date, little is known about MoCA scores along the cardiovascular disease continuum.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared performances of different cardiovascular disease profiles on the MoCA and its subscores.

METHOD

Eighty participants (>50 years) from two studies conducted at the Montreal Heart Institute were separated into four groups: low cardiovascular risk factors (<2), high cardiovascular risk factors (>2), coronary heart disease, and stable heart failure. ANCOVAs were performed on the total score and on subscores, with sex, age, and education as covariates.

RESULTS

Group differences were observed on the MoCA total score (heart failure < low cardiovascular risk), verbal fluency (heart failure < low cardiovascular risk), memory (coronary heart disease < low cardiovascular risk), and orientation (coronary heart disease < low and high cardiovascular risk) subscores.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that the MoCA, particularly verbal fluency and memory subscores, can detect cognitive changes in later stages of the cardiovascular disease continuum, such as heart failure. Detecting cognitive changes earlier on the cardiovascular disease continuum may require more in depth neuropsychological assessments.

High-intensity interval training vs. hydrochlorothiazide on blood pressure, cardiovascular health and cognition: Protocol of a non-inferiority trial

BACKGROUND

While the number of people with hypertension (HBP) continues to increase, the therapeutic target for optimal blood pressure (BP) has been revised to a lower level. Studies have suggested that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) could be as efficient as BP-lowering drugs, but no study has compared their efficacy in a randomized trial. The aim of this protocol is to determine if HIIT is as efficient as Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in lowering 24 h ambulatory BP in prehypertensive older adults. Moreover, the secondary aim is to determine if HIIT is associated with greater cardiovascular and cognitive benefits than HCTZ.

METHODS

This study is an interventional, single-center, non-inferiority trial, with two randomized parallel groups of prehypertensive participants aged 60 years or more. One group will be prescribed daily doses of 12.5 mg of HCTZ for 12 weeks, and the other group will follow thrice-weekly HIIT for 12 weeks. Each group will be composed of 30 participants. The primary outcome is 24 h ambulatory BP. Secondary outcomes are scores on neuropsychological assessments, balance and gait performances, maximal oxygen uptake, peripheral endothelial function, and arterial stiffness. Non-inferiority tests will be performed on the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes will be compared using independent t-tests.

CONCLUSION

This study will determine if HIIT is at least as efficient as HCTZ in lowering BP in prehypertensive older adults. This study will also determine if HIIT provides greater benefits in terms of cardiovascular and cognitive status (NCT04103411).