“ … -Hanley Thank you to all research assistants: ClaudiaDalterio, Madelyn Gerardi, Safeer Mughal, and Kartik … ”
Abstract
The portable Interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System (iPACES, v 2.8), tablet, smart watch and an under-desk stationary elliptical will be sent to the home of a participant and used in-home for three months in this experiment. We aim to examine the effects of cognitive and physical stimulation, in adolescents on the autism spectrum. This three-week intervention of exergaming will add to the finding of previous studies that used a 20 minute bout of exergaming. Participants will receive the iPACES set-up and necessary testing materials via mail to remain consistent with the social distancing guidelines due to COVID-19. To begin the experiment, participants will be given a series of questionnaires and cognitive tasks, such as Stroop, Color Trails, and Digit Span via a video call on a remote video conference platform (e.g. Zoom) remaining consistent with the tele-health guidelines. Participants will then be asked to use the game and peddler combination 3-5 times weekly for 30-45 minutes. While this proposed study does not attempt to maximize participation in exercise, it aims to support the belief that exergaming produces a positive effect on cognitive functioning and the reduction of autism-related behaviors of repetition and physical self-stimulation. It will also indirectly investigate the possibility of the use of exergaming as a viable treatment for autism and the feasibility of a remote protocol.
“ … College Summer Research Poster Session ~August 10th, 2020 ClaudiaDalterio, IreLee Ferguson, Kartik Nath, Madelyn Gerardi, … ”
Abstract
With the prevalence of dementia and neurocognitive decline on the rise, older adult populations have begun seeking out non-pharmacological methods to prevent or ameliorate their symptoms. Specifically, prior research has shown greater cognitive benefits from simultaneous exercise and cognitive stimulation than exercise alone, particularly for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a pilot study to test the feasibility of a remote, home-based, exercise intervention for older adults. For three months, six older adults engaged in integrative physical and cognitive exercise via a neuro-exergame called the interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System (iPACES v2.0), which involves pedaling an under-desk elliptical while playing an interactive video game. Participants completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) before and after the intervention, and exit interviews were conducted via Zoom at the conclusion of the study. While participants found the neuro-exergame to be entertaining, several setup and technical difficulties arose that made their overall experience more difficult. Our findings suggest that a more effective intervention would involve more user-friendly features that allow for greater ease of use by older adults with MCI.
Research has demonstrated benefits of exercise on cognition, but it remains unclear whether adjusting other variables can maximize the benefit. This case study examined the effects of fasting and moderate to high-intensity physical exercise on cognitive function and biomarkers in an older adult with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We hypothesized that (1) cognition would improve throughout the intervention, (2) salivary cortisol would increase after fasted moderate exercise and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and decrease after non-fasted moderate exercise, and (3) salivary alpha-amylase would increase after all exercise conditions. One adult participant completed all four study conditions: (1) fasting only, (2) non-fasting with moderate iPACES (neuro-exergaming) exercise, (3) fasting with moderate iPACES exercise, and (4) non-fasting with HIIT using iPACES. All study procedures were administered remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participant self-collected saliva samples using materials shipped to her residence from our lab. Cognition was assessed via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and executive function via the "paper" Stroop test administered via videoconference pre/post intervention. Additionally, a digital Stroop test was administered pre/post each of the four serially assigned conditions. A time series display illustrated a slight improvement in the participant on the paper Stroop task from pre- to post-intervention with only slight improvement on the MoCA, possibly due to practice effects. However, we saw a marked improvement on the digital Stroop test following the fasted moderate exercise bout (the third condition in the series) despite its repeated administration. Biomarker analyses showed some increase in alpha-amylase for the non-fasted aerobic exercise condition and the HIIT condition. Pre/post for the fasting and fasted aerobic exercise conditions were similar. For cortisol, there was some decrease for the fasting condition and a marked decrease for the HIIT condition. Pre/post for both non-fasted and fasted aerobic exercise conditions were similar. The results partially supported our hypotheses and replicated previous findings from the literature, but further research with a sampling of additional participants is needed for statistical analyses to confirm our findings. This study tested the feasibility of our newly home-based neuro-exergaming intervention and a novel method of collecting and shipping biomarker samples for analysis. While we demonstrated the necessity of certain tools for our protocol, it had several limitations. These include difficulties with participant recruitment, the expensive and time-consuming shipping process, and faulty Bluetooth connections between fitness watch, Lenovo tablet, and cadence meter. Results also warrant further research to clarify possible moderating roles of other neuroprotective biomarkers (like BDNF or ketone bodies) as well as heart rate and diet regimen.
