Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Presently in Canada 15% of individuals are over the age of 65, and in the next 17 years this number is expected to extend to more than 22% of the population. Along with chronological aging there are a series of chronic impairments that can arise, including cognitive decline. This cognitive decline can impair older adults to do everyday tasks like cooking, or even walking on the street while paying attention to the traffic. However, a better understanding of this process would allow researchers to develop preventive strategies that could improve the well-being of older adults as well as their autonomy. Recent findings have shown that even a short three-month physical training can improve cognitive performance. However, the mechanism through which this happens is not well understood. This study is looking at a possible psychological variable (stress) that could mediate the positive relationship seen between physical activity and cognitive performance. In order to measure this, 45 participants will take part in a three-month cardio training program, and 45 other participants will perform gross motor activities. Before and after the training the participants will give saliva samples in order to measure cortisol levels after awakening which will reflect the amount of daily stress. It is expected that the participants who follow a cardio training program will show an improvement in cognitive performance, which will be partially mediated by reduced stress.