Long-Term Effects of Resistance Exercise Training on Cognition and Brain Volume in Older Women: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial with active control.
PubMed 26581787 · doi:10.1017/S1355617715000673
What was done
A randomized controlled trial evaluated 155 older women assigned to 52 weeks of once-weekly resistance training, twice-weekly resistance training, or twice-weekly balance-and-toning exercise. Executive functioning and memory were assessed at baseline, 1-year follow-up (immediately post-intervention), and 2-year follow-up. A subset of participants also completed structural magnetic resonance imaging scans at these time points.
What was found
At the 2-year follow-up, both once-weekly and twice-weekly resistance training improved executive function compared to balance-and-toning (standardized difference d = 0.31 to 0.48). Twice-weekly resistance training improved memory (d = 0.45), reduced cortical white matter atrophy (d = 0.45), and increased peak muscle power (d = 0.27) compared to balance-and-toning. These effects were independent of one another.
Why it matters
This study indicates that 52 weeks of resistance training can produce improvements in executive function, memory, and white matter retention in older women persisting to 2-year follow-up.
Limits
The study included only older women, limiting generalizability to men and other age demographics. Structural MRI was performed only on an unspecified subset, and the abstract lacks confidence intervals, exact p-values, and attrition details.