The effect of exercise on cognitive performance in an older population was studied. Thirty sedentary men and women 65 to 72 years of age were randomly assigned to a walking group, a weight training group, or a placebo control group. Intervention groups exercised 30 to 60 min 5 days per week for 16 weeks, with the walking group training at 60% heart rate reserve, the weight training group emplying the DAPRE method of weight progression, and the placebo control group engaging in mild range-of-motion and flexibility movements that kept their heart rates close to resting levels. At baseline and 16 weeks posttraining each subject completed the Ross Information Processing Assessment (RIPA), a maximal graded treadmill test, and a strength assessment of the knee extensors and elbow flexors. Sixteen weeks of walking improved VO2peak of the sedentary subjects 15.8%; VO2peak did not improve in the other two groups. Additionally, the RIPA scores of the walking group increased 7.5%, while those of the weight-training and control groups showed little change.

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