Effects of Combined Cognitive and Physical Training on Cognition of Healthy Older Adults: A Literature Review

There is significant evidence for the positive effects of cognitive and physical training on cognition in healthy older adults. Recently, it has been discussed whether stronger effects could be reached with a combination of both interventions. This review analyses the current state of research about this topic. Four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and four controlled trials were found. Three of these studies (none of which were RCTs) in fact showed the superiority of combined training when compared to single interventions. However, even if positive evidence exists, the current state of research has to be evaluated as insufficient due to the small number of studies, the lack of evidence from RCTs and the lack of comparability of study designs, types of interventions, and test intervals used so far. Gaps in the current state of research are identified, relevant aspects of future studies are listed and possible neurobiological mechanisms of training effects are discussed.