earticle

영어

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in both cognitive and physical function, and neuroinflammation and metabolic dysregulation often exacerbate this decline, particularly in older women. This study investigated the effects of a 12-week intermittent combined exercise program on cognitive function, physical performance, and neurophysi-ological biomarkers in community-dwelling women aged 75 years and older. Forty participants were recruited from a local welfare center and randomly assigned to an exercise group (n=20) or a control group (n=20). The exercise group participated in three supervised sessions per week that integrated aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, func-tional exercise, and cognitive exercise. Cognitive domains (attention, language, and memory) were assessed using the Seoul Neuropsycho-logical Screening Test-II. Physical function was assessed using the Geriatric Physical Fitness Test (chair stand, arm flexion, grip strength, and 6-min walk). Blood samples were analyzed to measure serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin (IL-6), tumor ne-crosis factor (TNF)-α, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). Paired and independent t-tests were performed to evaluate pre- and posttest differences (α=0.05). After 12 weeks, the exercise group significantly improved memory (P<0.05), lower upper-body muscle strength, grip strength, and walking endurance. Serum BDNF significantly increased (P<0.01), and IL-6, TNF-α, LDL-C, and TG decreased (P<0.05). HDL-C levels also significantly increased (P<0.05). Intermittent combined ex-ercise significantly improved cognitive and physical function and favor-ably modulated neurotrophic, inflammatory, and metabolic biomarkers in very elderly women.