Abstract Rationale Elderly is defined as being 65 years of age or older. VO2 Peak refers to the highest rate at which oxygen can be taken up and consumed by the body during intense exercise. Cognition in a broad sense means information processing. Cognitive decline is almost universal in older adults and increases with age. Cardiorespiratory fitness is thought to be associated with other physiological changes influencing cognitive performance. VO2 Peak is known to decline with age. So, the study aims to correlate VO2 Peak and cognition in elderly individuals. Methodology Ethical approval was obtained for the study, which was conducted over a period of one year. Individuals aged 65 years and above, of either gender, with minimal orthopedic problems, who were able to walk for 6 minutes and comprehend the questionnaire, were included. Individuals with complicated cardiac, respiratory, or vascular conditions; neurological conditions such as previous stroke or focal lesions; severe orthopedic abnormalities preventing walking; uncontrolled hypertension (systolic 160 mmHg and diastolic 90 mmHg); or those unable to comprehend were excluded. The study was carried out in the Department of Physiotherapy, General Hospital, and various communities of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. A total of 85 elderly individuals were selected as the study population using a random sampling method. Each participant was informed about the study, and written informed consent was obtained. Demographic details and baseline data were recorded prior to the assessments. The procedures for the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were thoroughly explained to all participants. Subjects then performed the 6MWT according to American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines, followed by the MoCA to assess cognitive function. All 85 subjects successfully completed both assessments. VO2 Peak values were derived from the 6MWT, and cognition scores were obtained from the MoCA. Finally, a correlation analysis was conducted between the VO2 Peak and MoCA scores. Results The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed non-normal data distribution, so non-parametric tests were applied. Spearman’s correlation test was applied to correlate VO2 Peak calculated by 6MWT and Cognition score calculated by MoCA. Results of regression analysis indicated that there is strong positive correlation between VO2 Peak and MoCA scores. Conclusion This study concludes that when VO2 Peak and cognition scores were correlated, a statistically significant strong positive correlation was observed. Thus, the study shows that higher maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Peak), indicating cardiorespiratory fitness, is associated with higher cognition levels. This abstract is funded by: None
Trivedi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.