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Shin: Effects of an Exercise Program on Frontal Lobe Cognitive Function in Elders
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2009; 39(1): 107-115.

Published online: 28 February 2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2009.39.1.107

Effects of an Exercise Program on Frontal Lobe Cognitive Function in Elders

Mee-Kyung Shin

Full-time Instructor, Department of Nursing Science, Korea Nazarene University, Cheonan, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Shin, Mee-Kyung. Department of Nursing Science, Korea Nazarene University, 456 Ssangyong-dong, Cheonan 331-718, Korea. Tel: 82-41-570-7070, Fax: 82-41-570-4260, splash92@paran.com

Received 5 August 2008       Accepted 21 January 2009

Copyright © 2009 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an exercise program on frontal lobe cognitive function in seniors.

Methods

The participants were 42 seniors using a health center in Seoul (experimental group) and 28 seniors using a facility for elders in Seoul (control group). The exercise program was carried out for 16 weeks from April to August 2007. The frontal lobe cognitive function, which includes short term memory, attention, immediate memory, delayed memory, verbal fluency and motor function, was measured by the Digit Span Forward test, Trail Making test, Immediate recall words test, Delayed recall words, Controlled oral word association test and Finger tapping test. The collected data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test, Chi-square, t-test, and ANCOVA using the SAS program.

Results

The major findings of this study were as follows: Attention (p=.009), immediate memory (p=.005), delayed memory (p=.009), and verbal fluency (p=.004) improved after the exercise program.

Conclusion

In this study, the exercise program was effective in improving frontal lobe cognitive function in elders. So it provides basic information for further nursing education on exercise programs which will be effective for prevention of early cognitive function decline in normally aging elders.

Keywords: Exercise program, Frontal lobe cognitive function, Aged

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Research Design
jkan-39-107-i001

Ye1, Ye2, Yc1, Yc2=frontal lobe cognitive function: short term memory, attention, immediate memory, delayed memory, verbal fluency, motor function; X=exercise program.

Table 2
Exercise Program
jkan-39-107-i002
Table 3
Homogeneity of General Characteristics and Medical History of Two Groups (N=70)
jkan-39-107-i003

*Fisher's exact test.

Table 4
Homogeneity of Dependent Variables (N=70)
jkan-39-107-i004
Table 5
Comparison of the Frontal Lobe Cognitive Function of Two Groups (N=70)
jkan-39-107-i005

*F-value of ANCOVA with pre-test value as covariate.

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