How did dance and balance training change brain activity during walking in older adults?

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Different types of exercise training may induce structural and functional brain plasticity in older adults. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging studies observed brain adaptations during cognitive tasks that correlated with improved cognitive performance.

This study investigated whether exercise training induces functional brain plasticity during challenging treadmill walking and associated changes in executive functions. Researchers recruited 42 older adults and randomly assigned them to interactive cognitive-motor video game dancing (DANCE) or balance and stretching training (BALANCE). The eight-week intervention involved three 30-minute sessions per week; 33 participants completed it, with a mean age of 74.9 ± 6.9 years.

Before and after the intervention, researchers used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to assess prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity while participants walked on a treadmill at their preferred and fast speeds. They also assessed executive functions including shifting, inhibition and working memory.

Both interventions reduced oxygenation in the left and right PFC during walking acceleration, with results either statistically significant or showing a trend (p < 0.05 or trend, r = 0.25–0.36). At the end of the 30-second walking task, DANCE produced a larger reduction in left PFC oxygenation than BALANCE [F (1, 31) = 3.54, p = 0.035, r = 0.32]. Training-related changes in PFC oxygenation correlated with improved executive functions (p < 0.05 or trend, r = 0.31–0.50).

The researchers suggest that reduced PFC activity may free cognitive resources for attention to other processes while walking, potentially relevant to mobility and fall prevention in older adults. The study offers a deeper understanding of associations among exercise training, brain function during walking and cognition in older adults.