Older and younger aerobically trained and sedentary adults
participated in an S1-S2-S3 paradigm designed to elicit
event-related potential (ERP) and behavioral responses to determine
the influence of cardiovascular fitness on cognitive and motor
processes. The paradigm provided warning (S1) as to the difficulty
level of an upcoming decision task (S2). Participants had to
decide the taller of two bars on presentation of S2 but hold
their response until S3, to which they indicated their choice
motorically. Results revealed age-related differences for ERP
measures as older participants showed increased amplitude of
the stimulus preceding negativity (SPN) prior to S2, and longer
latencies and equipotentiality of P3 in response to S2. Fitness
effects were also observed for the contingent negative variation
(CNV) with decreased amplitude for fit relative to sedentary
individuals. Age interacted with fitness for P3 latency to S2
as older sedentary individuals showed the longest latency followed
by older fit and both younger groups. No significant group
differences were observed for reaction time (RT) to S3. Therefore,
physical fitness is associated with attenuation of cognitive
decline in older individuals and greater economy of motor
preparation for both young and older participants.