Cognition and Aging - Assignment Example

Cognition and Aging: “Exercise, cognition, and the aging brain” “Exercise, cognition, and the aging brain” The article entitled “Exercise, cognition and the aging brain” was written by Kramer, Erickson, & Colcombe (2006) and published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. The authors proffered issues pertinent to reviewing related literatures on the effect of exercise to cognition and the brain; particularly focusing their research on the influence of exercise and physical activity on dementia and cognition (Kramer, Erickson, & Colcombe, 2006).

The authors’ discussion initially expounded on the epidemiological studies concerning the effects of exercise and physical activities on dementia and cognition; presenting human clinical trials on cognition and the brain; the effects of exercise on the brain; and providing future directions for this endeavor. As disclosed, “physical activity can have a neuroprotective effect on later life cognition” (Kramer, Erickson, & Colcombe, 2006, p. 1238). Specifically, the findings emphasized that “physical activity and aerobic exercise training can serve to moderate undesirable age-related changes in cognition, brain function, and brain structure” (Kramer, Erickson, & Colcombe, 2006, p. 1241). The authors’ conclusions were a result of reviewing 48 academic and authoritative articles on the subject that encompassed works from 1966 until 2001.

As explicitly indicated, “the central question examined in the analysis was whether, across the 18 intervention studies in the analysis, fitness training had a positive influence on cognition. The answer was affirmative” (Kramer, Erickson, & Colcombe, 2006, p. 1239). In this regard, the study is a valuable source that provided conclusive evidence on the significance of exercise and physical activities in cognition and aging. Due to the number of academic studies made that reliably and conclusively arrived at the same outcome, the credibility and validity of the results were enhanced.

As such, the recommendation should be publicly revealed to benefit the aging population, as required.ReferenceKramer, A., Erickson, K., & Colcombe, S. (2006). Exercise, cognition, and the aging brain. Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 101, No. 4, 1237-1242 .