PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY

A relationship between physical fitness and cognition, although intuit ively believable, has been difficult to document. Barriers to clarifyi ng the relationship are the difficulties in measuring physical fitness and cognitive function, the use of differential research designs, and failures to identify and differentiate cognitive functions as well as to account for cognitive learning. Nevertheless, the fitness-cognitio n relationship, which continues to be reported and studied, seems comp elling. It's precise nature, however, remains to be clarified.