Engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity supports overnight memory retention in older adults

Miranda G Chappel-Farley; Destiny E Berisha; Abhishek Dave; Rachel M Sanders; Christopher E Kline; John T Janecek; Negin Sattari; Kitty K Lui; Ivy Y Chen; Ariel B Neikrug; Ruth M Benca; Michael A Yassa; Bryce A Mander

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-83336-0

Engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity supports overnight memory retention in older adults

Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 30;14(1):31873. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-83336-0.

Authors

Miranda G Chappel-Farley^{1

2

3

4}, Destiny E Berisha^{5

6}, Abhishek Dave⁷, Rachel M Sanders⁸, Christopher E Kline⁸, John T Janecek^{5

6}, Negin Sattari⁹, Kitty K Lui¹⁰, Ivy Y Chen⁹, Ariel B Neikrug⁹, Ruth M Benca^{6

9

11

12}, Michael A Yassa^{5

6

12

13}, Bryce A Mander^{5

7

9

12

14}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. [email protected].
² Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. [email protected].
³ Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. [email protected].
⁴ UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, 3811 O'Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. [email protected].
⁵ Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
⁶ Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
⁷ Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
⁸ Department of Health and Human Development, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
¹⁰ Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
¹¹ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA.
¹² Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
¹³ Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.

Abstract

Preserving the ability to vividly recall emotionally rich experiences contributes to quality of life in older adulthood. While prior works suggest that moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) may bolster memory, it is unclear whether this extends to emotionally salient memories consolidated during sleep. In the current study, older adults (mean age = 72.3 ± 5.8) completed an overnight polysomnography assessment with emotional memory tested before and after sleep and a self-report questionnaire assessing habitual PA. Results show that better negative emotional memory consolidation was associated with the frequency and duration of MPA. Statistically replacing 30 min of lower-intensity activity with MPA was associated with better negative emotional memory consolidation. MPA may enhance sleep-dependent consolidation of negative memories in older adults, with modest increases in MPA yielding significant consolidation benefits. Findings may guide interventions and inform public health recommendations by demonstrating that substituting even short durations of low-intensity activity for MPA could produce significant cognitive gains in older adulthood.

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Emotions / physiology
Exercise* / physiology
Female
Humans
Male
Memory / physiology
Memory Consolidation / physiology
Mental Recall / physiology
Polysomnography
Quality of Life
Sleep / physiology
Surveys and Questionnaires

Abstract

MeSH terms

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