How does a 4-week motor-cognitive training affect choice reaction, dynamic balance and cognitive performance ability? A randomized controlled trial in well-trained, young, healthy participants.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the potential effects of a 4-week motor-cognitive dual-task training on cognitive and motor function as well as exercise motivation in young, healthy, and active adults. METHODS: A total of 26 participants (age 25 ± 2 years; 10 women) were randomly allocated to either the intervention group or a control group. The intervention group performed a motor-cognitive training (3×/week), while the participants of the control group received no intervention. Before and after the intervention period of 4 weeks, all participants underwent cognitive (d2-test, Trail Making Test) and motor (lower-body choice reaction test and time to stabilization test) assessments. Following each of the 12 workouts, self-reported assessments (rating of perceived exertion, enjoyment and pleasant anticipation of the next training session) were done. Analyses of covariances and 95% confidence intervals plotting for between group and time effects were performed. RESULTS: Data from 24 participants were analysed. No pre- to post-intervention improvement nor a between-group difference regarding motor outcomes (choice-reaction: F = 0.5; time to stabilization test: F = 0.7; p > 0.05) occurred. No significant training-induced changes were found in the cognitive tests (D2: F = 0.02; Trail Making Test A: F = 0.24; Trail Making Test B: F = 0.002; p > 0.05). Both enjoyment and anticipation of the next workout were rated as high. DISCUSSION: The neuro-motor training appears to have no significant effects on motor and cognitive function in healthy, young and physically active adults. This might be explained in part by the participants' very high motor and cognitive abilities, the comparably low training intensity or the programme duration. The high degree of exercise enjoyment, however, may qualify the training as a facilitator to initiate and maintain regular physical activity. The moderate to vigorous intensity levels further point towards potential health-enhancing cardiorespiratory effects.

The Acute Physical and Cognitive Effects of a Classical Workplace Physical Activity Program Versus a Motor-Cognitive Coordination Workplace Program: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the exercise loads and cognitive effects of a classical workplace program from that for a motor-cognitive coordination workplace intervention. METHODS: Twenty-eight (28) employed adults (women 19, men 9) participated in a motor-cognitive coordination and a classical workplace health promotion exercise intervention. Effects on attention and cognition (trail making test [TMT]) as well as exercise load (heart rate and rates of perceived exhaustion [RPE]) were assessed. RESULTS: The motor-cognitive intervention does not improve cognitive abilities (TMT-A: -4.6 ±â€Š2.2 seconds; TMT-B: -8.5 ±â€Š3.2 seconds) to a greater extent than the classical workplace health enhancement training (TMT-A: -4.6 ±â€Š3.1 seconds; TMT-B: -7.4 ±â€Š3.9 seconds) (P < 0.05). The exercise load was not different between the two interventions (maximal heart rate: 107 ±â€Š8 vs 111 ±â€Š6 bpm; RPE: 11.8 ±â€Š1.7 vs 11.9 ±â€Š1.2 points). CONCLUSIONS: The motor-cognitive workplace intervention may be adopted as an additional/alternate enhancement in terms of varied activity, and not as a compensation intervention for workplace health. More research is needed to proof this assumption.

Treatment of avoidant personality traits in a German armed forces inpatient psychiatric setting.

Military duty places high demands on the soldiers' social adaptability and competences. Avoidant personality traits can lead to interpersonal conflicts and at least to mental disorders. 192 German Armed Forces soldiers were treated in a multimodal inpatient psychiatric treatment setting at a Bundeswehr hospital between 2007 and 2010. 129 of these patients received a social skills group training (group training of social competence [GSC]) as part of this setting. A comparison group (n=63) did not participate but got unspecific treatment elements instead. The Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Inventory on Competence and Control Beliefs (Fragebogen zu Kompetenz- und Kontrollüberzeugungen [FKK]) were applied. Symptom severity in the SCL-Global Severity Index, sum scale of the SCL-90-R and the four primary scales of the FKK showed significant improvements both immediately after treatment and at follow-up. No significant influence of the form of treatment (with/without GSC), age, gender, diagnosis, and deployments on the treatment result was established in the analysis of covariance. The data suggest that an inpatient psychiatric treatment setting focused on avoidant personality traits has a favorable effect on psychiatric symptom severity in military personnel. Social skills group training as a treatment component does not seem to be significantly superior to the standard setting.