The positive effects of combined brain and body training in older adults

INTERVENTION: Body‐Brain Trainer (BBT): BBT is comprised of three modules, with each targeting a different aspect of cognitive control: visual search tasks for attention (with increasing distraction), spatial span/multiple object tracking tasks for working memory, and a task‐switching paradigm targeting goal management/cognitive flexibility abilities. There are also three different tasks with ascending difficulty within each module, such that advancing to the next level engages a fresh challenge while maintaining interest (for example, a change from a spatial span condition to a multiple object tracking condition with working memory demands). Comparable to our previous work using cognitive measures alone, here we integrate real‐time adaptivity for both the cognitive and physical aspects of the gameplay. For each cognitive task, difficulty scales on a trial‐by‐trial basis, with a correct trial performed within a thresholding‐determined response window leading to shorter response window by 10msec, and an incorrect trial leading to a lengthening of the response window by 30msec (thus, a 1”up”/3”down” staircase). These cognitive adaptive algorithms are designed to assure participants remain at an 80% rate of accuracy, a level that is not too easy nor too hard, so that it is enjoyable and engaging. For the physical training, difficulty is tied to the demands associated with the distance an individual must travel for a given response and the amount of time allocated to complete this response. These movement‐related aspects are directly responsive to whether heart rate is below/within/above a predetermined heart rate window to ensure a moderately intense workout that does not impede the ability to perform the cognitive task. For example, if one is playing the game below t CONDITION: Healthy aging ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: An objective behavioral measure of attention via a custom continuous performance task (CPT), comparable to the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), to assess vigilance without distraction (baseline, post‐training and 1‐year later). INCLUSION CRITERIA: All participants: 1. Had normal or corrected‐to‐normal vision, 2. Had no history of stroke, traumatic brain injury, or psychiatric illness, 3. Were not taking psychotropic, hormonal, or cardiovascular medications, 4. Did not have any physical or mental conditions that may interfere with their daily activities (e.g., migraine headaches, substance abuse, neuropathy. 5. Reported playing less than 2‐hours of video games per month. 6. Were 55 years or older SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Delayed recognition working memory paradigm designed to measure changes in participants’ ability to maintain an accurate mental representation of items in working memory either in presence or absence of distracting or interfering information (baseline, post‐training and 1‐year later).; ; Exploratory outcome measures:; 1. An objective neural measure of attention via a custom Filter Task designed to assess how well participants were able to identify targets in the presence of task‐irrelevant information (baseline, post‐training and 1‐year later).; 2. An objective measure of attention recording electroencephalography (EEG) during the CPT (baseline, post‐training and 1‐year later).; 3. An objective measure of attention recording electroencephalography (EEG) during the Filter Task (baseline, post‐training and 1‐year later).; 4. A physiological measure of fitness and health = Diastolic Blood Pressure (baseline, post‐training).; 5. A senior‐specific measure of stability indicative of fall risk called the Limit of Stability Assessment (baseline, post‐training).;