Effects of a short-term Interval Aerobic Training Programme with active Recovery bouts (IATP-R) on cognitive and mental health, functional performance and quality of life: A randomised controlled trial in sedentary seniors

Walid Bouaziz (1, 2, 3) , Elise Schmitt (3, 1) , Thomas Vogel (3, 1) , François Lefebvre (4) , Pierre-Marie Leprêtre (5, 6) , Georges Kaltenbach (7, 3) , Bernard Geny (1, 8) , Pierre-Olivier Lang (9, 10)

1 MSP - Mitochondrie, Stress oxydant et Protection musculaire
2 CETAPS - Centre d’études des transformations des activités physiques et sportives
3 Pôle de Gériatrie [CHU Strasbourg]
4 Département de l'Information Médicale [CHU Strasbourg]
5 APERE - Adaptations Physiologiques à l'Exercice et Réadaptation à l'effort - UR UPJV 3300
6 Unité de Réadaptation Cardiovasculaire [CH Corbie]
7 CMRR Strasbourg - Centre Mémoire Ressources et Recherche [Strasbourg]
8 Département des Explorations Fonctionnelles [CHU Strasbourg]
9 Health and Wellbeing Academy [Cambridge, UK]
10 UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne

BACKGROUND: Interval aerobic training programme with active recovery bouts (IATP-R) has shown to improve tolerance to IATP among seniors. However, data concerning its benefits for seniors' health are still limited. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IATP-R on seniors' health status. METHODS: Sedentary volunteers (n = 60, aged ≥70 years) were randomly assigned to either IATP-R or maintained sedentary lifestyle for 9.5 weeks. IATP-R consisted of 30-minute cycling (6 × 4 minutes at first ventilatory threshold (VT1 ) intensity + 1 minute at 40% of VT1 ) twice a week. Cognitive and functional performances were assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT-A; TMT-B); Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT); Timed Up and Go (TUG) test; 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT); one-leg balance test; and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tests, respectively. QoL and anxiety/depression status were measured by the Short Form-12 and the Goldberg's Scale, respectively. All participants were assessed at baseline and 9.5 weeks later. RESULTS: Compared to controls, IATP-R improved cognitive functions (TMT-A: +1.5% vs -21.5%; TMT-B: +0.9% vs -13.3%; PASAT: +1.4% vs -14.6%; semantic fluency: -1.1% vs +11.7%), functional performance (TUG: +5.4% vs -16.5%; 6-MWT: -3.2% vs +11.5%; SPPB: -3.2% vs +14.6%; One-leg balance: -16.3% vs +25.0%); QoL (physical health: -13.3% vs +23.1%; mental health: -7.1% vs +8.2%); and depressive symptoms (+26.3% vs -42.8%). Significant impacts were measured neither on letter modality of fluency tasks nor on anxiety score. CONCLUSION: These data showed that IATP-R is an effective training programme to improve functional and cognitive performances, mental health and well-being in sedentary seniors. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02263573. Registered October 1, 2014.

Domaines: Gériatrie et gérontologie; Cardiologie et système cardiovasculaire

Walid Bouaziz, Elise Schmitt, Thomas Vogel, François Lefebvre, Pierre-Marie Leprêtre, et al.. Effects of a short-term Interval Aerobic Training Programme with active Recovery bouts (IATP-R) on cognitive and mental health, functional performance and quality of life: A randomised controlled trial in sedentary seniors. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2019, 73 (1), pp.e13219. ⟨10.1111/ijcp.13219⟩. ⟨inserm-02089025⟩