Longitudinal Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cognition in Older Adults: a 10-year-follow-up from the Generation 100 Study

Ariana Nhung Le; Stian Lydersen; Daniel Estil Brissach; Asta K Håberg; Tara L Walker; Mia Schaumberg; Helene Haugen Berg; Dorthe Berg Stensvold; Atefe R Tari

doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000003903

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Longitudinal Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cognition in Older Adults: a 10-year-follow-up from the Generation 100 Study

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Longitudinal Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cognition in Older Adults: a 10-year-follow-up from the Generation 100 Study

Ariana Nhung Le, Stian Lydersen, Daniel Estil Brissach, Asta K Håberg, Tara L Walker, Mia Schaumberg, Helene Haugen Berg, Dorthe Berg Stensvold and Atefe R Tari

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol.58(4), pp.704-712

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003903

PMID: 41330544

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Abstract

older adults

Montreal Cognitive Assessments

cardiorespiratory fitness

cognition

Introduction: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with better cognition in older adults. However, the long-term associations between CRF levels and cognitive outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between baseline CRF, changes in CRF (from baseline to year 1 and year 3) and cognition in older adults. Methods: We included 770 cognitively healthy older adults (367 females; mean age 72.0±2 years at baseline) from the Generation 100 Study. All participants had complete data on CRF and important confounding factors (age, sex, educational attainment and self-rated memory at baseline). Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured directly as peak oxygen uptake using ergospirometry. Cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) 3-, 5-, and 10 years after baseline. Linear mixed models were used to assess the relationship between CRF at baseline, changes in CRF, and MoCA score over time. Results: The mean MoCA score at year -3, -5, and -10 was 25.3, 25.0 and 24.8, respectively. Higher baseline CRF predicted 0.06 higher MoCA score at year 3 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.09) and 0.07 at year 5 (95 % CI 0.03 to 0.11) but was not associated with MoCA score at year 10 (β 0.02, 95 %CI -0.02 to 0.06). Neither 1-year nor 3-year changes in CRF were associated with MoCA scores at any time point. Conclusions: Changes in CRF over 1 and 3 years were not associated with cognition in healthy older adults. However, higher baseline CRF was linked to better cognition up to 5 years later, suggesting that achieving and maintaining an age-relative high CRF before entering the 7th decade of life might benefit cognitive aging.

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Title: Longitudinal Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cognition in Older Adults: a 10-year-follow-up from the Generation 100 Study
Authors: Ariana Nhung Le - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Stian Lydersen - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Daniel Estil Brissach - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Asta K Håberg - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Tara L Walker - The University of Queensland
Mia Schaumberg - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Biomedicine
Helene Haugen Berg - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Dorthe Berg Stensvold - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Atefe R Tari (Corresponding Author) - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Publication details: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol.58(4), pp.704-712
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003903
ISSN: 1530-0315
PMID: 41330544
Copyright note: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.
Grant note: This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Liaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and NTNU, the Central Norway Regional Health Authority, St Olavs hospital, Trondheim, Norway, the DAM Foundation via the Norwegian Brain Council.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Biomedicine; Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; Cancer Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991190588002621
Output Type: Journal article

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