[Effects of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults]

There is an absolute and relative increase in the proportion of the elderly population especially in the European countries, but this tendency can be also observed universally. By the continuous increase of the proportion of the elderly population, the medical and social related financial burdens are also increasing because of the significant decrease in health condition among older adults. The process of aging includes not only the constant decline of the general health condition and daily functioning, but also includes the decrease of the mental and cognitive performance, which further impairs the everyday life of the older adults. These findings warrant the necessity of preventive interventions in the future. According to previous findings, physical activity can be used to improve cognitive functioning and prevent further decline. In this article we provide a brief review of the literature on physical activity effects on cognition in general and with referring to three different specific forms of physical exercise; moreover, briefly discuss the important future directions of research. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(5): 163-168.