Entry #10

As lifespans continue to increase, the number of years spent in good health has not increased proportionally, leading to a growing need for interventions that support physical and cognitive functioning in older adults. Prior research has demonstrated that resistance training and cognitive stimulation training (CST) can both yield improvements in executive functioning, with some evidence suggesting greater benefits from resistance training, particularly when strength gains are achieved. The present study investigates the differential effects of resistance training and CST on executive function in adults aged 50 and older. Participants (N ≈ 22) were recruited from Center 50+ and screened using the SLUMS assessment. Those scoring ≥ 16 were randomly assigned to either a resistance training group, which participated in a biweekly Silver Sneakers resistance training class, or a once weekly CST group that received additional exercises to be performed at home. The CST group completed guided cognitive tasks including sudoku, word scrambles, and memory recall. Interventions were conducted for a minimum of 16 sessions for the resistance training group, and 8 sessions for the CST group. Cognitive performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Trail Making Test, and the Forward Digit Span test. We hypothesize that both groups will show improvements in executive function, with greater gains observed in the resistance training group. This study contributes to ongoing efforts to identify scalable, community-based strategies for promoting cognitive health in aging populations.