Cognitive Plasticity Induced in Older Adults by Cognitive Training, Physical Exercise, and Combined Interventions

Verbal abilities, general knowledge, and implicit memory are maintained with age, but processing speed, working memory, and episodic memory that depend on the prefrontal cortex and the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, are not. The failure of these abilities compromises independent living and a prolonged working life. However, functional brain reorganization and compensatory mechanisms allow older adults to maintain successful task performance. Physical exercise and cognitive training have potential for preventing cognitive decline. The question is whether the combination of both trainings produces synergetic effects. This chapter summarizes the study protocol of an ongoing multidomain versus single-domain randomized controlled trial aimed at investigating the short- and long-term effects of combining cognitive video game training with physical exercise, compared to cognitive training and physical training alone, on executive control and memory in older adults, two abilities that decline with aging, in comparison with the performance of an active-control group.