Biography
Vida Janina Cesnaitiene, 1964
Doctorall degree, Biomedical sciences, biology
Assoc. Prof. Dr. (Lithuanian sports university, 2015)
Lithuanian sports university (Sporto str. 6 , Kaunas), Assoc. Prof. Dr. at the Department of Health, Physical and Social Education.
Senior Researcher at the Institute of Sport Science and Innovations
15/10/2006 – 23/05/2011 Doctoral degree. Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
01/09/2004 – 30/06/2006 Master‘s qualification degree in Public health Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
01/09/2000 – 30/06/2004 Bachelor of Education. Physical Education Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
2017 – Consultant of the doctoral thesis of Margarita Drozdova Statkevičienė “The relationship between motor, cognitive functions and emotions and their dependence on age and physical exercise”
Member of the LSU group of researchers ,Brain and skeletal muscles” and ,,Health related physical activity and education through sport”.
LSU modules taught and coordinated:
– Academic communication and carrier planning (B.A.);
– Exercise testing and prescription (in English; B.A.);
– Interdisciplinary Physical Education in the Sociocultural Environment (M.S.).
Cesnaitiene, J.V.
Does physical activity improve an interaction between motor control and cognitive functions in the elderly?
Presenter:
Cesnaitienė Vida Janina, Lithuanian Sports University, Lithuania
Co-author(s):
Ossowsky Marcin Zbigniew, Gdansk Sports University, Poland
Levin Oron, Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Belgium
Drozdova-Statkevicienė Margarita, Lithuanian Sports University, Lithuania
Masiulis Nerijus, Lithuanian Sports University, Lithuania
Abstract
Introduction
Normal aging is associated with progressive functional loss in many cognitive domains, including working memory, attention (van Raalten et al., 2008) and executive functions (Nyberg et al., 2008), responsible for the control of behavioral activities (Miller and Cohen, 2001). Research aim was to evaluate postural control and executive function during dual tasking in physically active and inactive old adults.
Methods
Participants were 42 older healthy human males (Mean age: 70.17±6.08 years). Posturography method with a single piezoelectric force plate was used to measure postural sway activity. For the evaluation of cognitive functions, we used Word Memory task with ten audio-recorded words (Lithuanian nouns) in each trial, and the Mathematical Processing Task, where negative or positive one-digit integer-numbers (10 in total) were presented in each trial at 2-second intervals. Physical activity of participants was evaluated according to WHO recommendations.
Results
The study showed a strong correlation between physically active time spent and balance behavior. The balance of physically active older people was statistically significantly more stable when they performed cognitive tasks than that of those who were physically inactive. Dual-task interferences on postural sway were evident in both Word Memory task and the Mathematical Processing Task conditions. Dual-task effect on Mathematical Processing Task and Word Memory task was not statistically different.
Discussion
Taken together, we suggest that physical activity improves proprioceptive control which also improves balance control. In dual tasking, more attention is required in cognitive tasking, so better proprioception allows for better balance control with fewer attention resources. However, it is also evident that participants can reduce sway activity and increase balance stability by increasing attentional control.
References
van Raalten, T.R., Ramsey, N.F., Jansma, J.M., Jager, G., & Kahn, R.S.(2008). Automatization and working memory capacity in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 100(1-3), 161-171.
Miller, E. K., & Cohen, J.D. (2001). An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 24, 167–202.
Nyberg, E.D., Nyberg, L., Bäckman, L., & Neely, A.S. (2008). Plasticity of executive functioning in young and older adults: immediate training gains, transfer, and long-term maintenance. Psychology and Aging, 23(4), 720-730.