Differential Impacts of Exercise Modalities on Executive Function and Working Memory Performance: A Community-Based 3-Month Intervention Trial in Older Adults

Background With the rapidly ageing global population, exercise and physical activity are increasingly becoming important for societal advancement. Objective To investigate the impact of various exercise methods on Executive Function (EF) and working memory in community-dwelling older adults. Methods This study involved 111 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 73 ± 9.3 years), randomly assigned to six groups: Traditional Qigong Group (TQG, n = 19), Multimodal Exercise Group (MEG, n = 18), Dance-Based Exercise Group (DBEG, n = 18), Elastic Resistance Training Group (ERTG, n = 18), Brisk Walking Group (BWG, n = 19), and Control Group (CG, n = 19). The study lasted 12 weeks, with pre- and post-intervention assessments conducted using N-Back and Stroop tasks to evaluate EF and working memory performance. The effects of time (pre- vs post-intervention), group, and Group × Time × Task interactions were assessed using Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance (RM-ANOVA). Results Compared to the CG, all the exercise groups demonstrated greater improvements in N-back and Stroop task accuracy. Furthermore, while the exercise groups showed significantly shorter Reaction Times (RTs) post-intervention, the CG exhibited no RT changes. Additionally, the exercise groups exhibited more pronounced task-related cognitive gains, with significant group × time × task interactions, indicating differential intervention effects across modalities. Moreover, post-hoc analyses confirmed differential intervention effects across groups. Conclusions Multimodal exercise programs that integrate physical activity with cognitive stimulation are promising interventions for enhancing Executive Function and Working Memory in community-dwelling elderly individuals. Trial registration: Clinical trial number: not applicable.