Enhancing cognition in older adults with Interactive Wall Exergames: (why) does it work?

Interactive Wall Exergames (IWE) are potentially more effective than traditional training methods for enhancing cognitive functions in older adults. However, the contribution of its different components specifically physical, motor-cognitive, and social interactions, remains unclear. The goal was to determine whether IWE reduced to its cognitive-motor component (IWE-) also reduced the associated cognitive benefits in comparison to IWE with incorporated aerobic and resistance exercises (IWE+). 30 healthy older adults were randomly assigned to either IWE- or IWE+, for 8 weeks, 3 times a week, during 45 minutes for IWE- and 75 minutes for IWE+. Physical, motor, and cognitive tests were conducted before and after the training. Secondary outcomes included assessments of effort and enjoyment in addition to the percentage of responders and the degree of progress in each group. Both groups exhibited high adherence rates (> 85%). Significant improvement in cognitive performance over time in both groups were detected, but no significant advantage of IWE- over IWE + in terms of cognitive, physical and motor performances. No significant differences were observed in number of responders, magnitude of progress, or enjoyment levels. Overall, the findings suggest that the motor-cognitive component is the crucial part of IWE effectively enhancing cognitive performance in healthy older adults.