Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Reaction Time and Memory in the Elderly

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of aerobic exercise on reaction time (RT) and short term memory (SM) enhancement in the elderly. The sample consisted of 40 healthy elderly people, 60 to 74 years of age. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent T-test to compare any difference between the RT and SM scores of the control and experimental groups. In audio stimuli tests, right hand, left hand and left foot reaction times in the experimental group were significantly different (p<0.001), while a right foot response test produced a difference (p0<0.05). In visual stimuli tests, right hand and left hand response time differences were significant (p<0.001). A similar difference was also recorded in an SM enhancement study between the two groups.