Aging is characterized by cognitive decline affecting daily functioning. To manage this socio-economic challenge, several non-pharmacological methods such as physical, cognitive, and combined training are proposed. Although there is an important interest in this subject, the literature is still heterogeneous. The superiority of simultaneous training compared to passive control and physical training alone seems clear but very few studies compared simultaneous training to cognitive training alone. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of simultaneous exercise and cognitive training on several cognitive domains in healthy older adults, in comparison with either training alone. Thirty-five healthy older adults were randomized into one of three experimental groups: exercise training, cognitive training, and simultaneous exercise and cognitive training. The protocol involved two 30-min sessions per week for 24 weeks. Cognitive performance in several domains, pre-frontal cortex oxygenation, and baroreflex sensitivity were assessed before and after the intervention. All groups improved executive performance, including flexibility or working memory. We found a group by time interaction for inhibition cost (F_(2,28) = 6.44; p < 0.01) and baroreflex sensitivity during controlled breathing (F_(2,25) = 4.22; p = 0.01), the magnitude of improvement of each variable being associated (r = -0.39; p = 0.03). We also found a decrease in left and right pre-frontal cortex oxygenation in all groups during the trail making test B. A simultaneous exercise and cognitive training are more efficient than either training alone to improve executive function and baroreflex sensitivity. The results of this study may have important clinical repercussions by allowing to optimize the interventions designed to maintain the physical and cognitive health of older adults.

衰老的特征是影响日常功能的认知能力下降。为了应对这一社会经济挑战，提出了几种非药理学方法，例如物理、认知和联合训练。尽管人们对这个主题很感兴趣，但文献仍然是异质的。与被动控制和单独的身体训练相比，同时训练的优势似乎很明显，但很少有研究将同时训练与单独的认知训练进行比较。这项试点研究的目的是调查同时进行锻炼和认知训练对健康老年人的几个认知领域的影响，并与单独进行任何一种训练进行比较。三十五名健康的老年人被随机分配到三个实验组之一：运动训练、认知训练、以及同步锻炼和认知训练。该协议涉及每周两次 30 分钟的会议，持续 24 周。在干预前后评估了几个领域的认知表现、前额皮质氧合和压力反射敏感性。所有小组都提高了执行绩效，包括灵活性或工作记忆。我们发现了一组按时间相互作用的抑制成本 (F_(2,28)  = 6.44；p  < 0.01) 和受控呼吸期间的压力反射敏感性 (F _(2,25)  = 4.22; p  = 0.01)，每个变量的改善程​​度相关 ( r  = -0.39; p  = 0.03)。我们还发现，在步道测试 B 期间，所有组的左右前额叶皮层氧合作用均有所下降。同时进行锻炼和认知训练比单独训练更有效地改善执行功能和压力反射敏感性。通过允许优化旨在维持老年人身体和认知健康的干预措施，这项研究的结果可能会产生重要的临床影响。