Arthur F. Kramer

Given the increased aging population throughout the world there is a growing interest in lifestyle factors and interventions that enhance the cognitive vitality of older adults and reduce the risk for age-related neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In this talk, I will review research from our lab and from other researchers which suggests that aerobic exercise interventions can serve to protect, and enhance, cognitive and brain function in community-dwelling older adults, and that these effects may also extend to pathological populations. In addition, we discuss recent studies which examine the influence of cognitive training strategies to enhance cognitive and brain function of older adults. These results reveal the importance of examining a combination of lifestyle factors on the brain and cognition. Finally, we briefly discuss relevant non-human animal research which provides important clues concerning the molecular and cellular mechanisms which underlie the beneficial effects of exercise and cognitive training interventions on brain and mind.