Association between brain gym and cognitive function in postmenopausal women

Aging results in cognitive decline in memory and intelligence of the elderly, but this may be delayed or maintained by brain exercises. Studies on increasing cognitive functioning, e.g. by brain gym and physical exercise did not clearly demonstrate an association of brain gym and physical activity with cognitive functioning. Therefore the present study aimed to find any relationship between brain gym and cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women. This analytical study was conducted for three months on healthy postmenopausal women aged 60 years and older at the Mampang Public Health Center in South Jakarta. Excluded were patients with psychosis, neurological abnormalities, patients on antidepressant or antipsychotic medications, patients with malignancies or diabetes mellitus, or subjects not completing the study. The selected subjects underwent the MoCA-INA and walking tests. Subjects passing both tests were assigned to the brain gym intervention group and the others to the control group without brain gym. The intervention group performed brain gym three times weekly for 3 months, after which both groups underwent a repeat MoCA-INA test. Mean age of control (n=12) and intervention groups (n=14) was 64.58 ±3.42 years and 64.86 ± 4.94 years, respectively. Baseline mean MoCA-Ina scores in control and intervention groups were 19.07 ± 2.12 and 20.50 ±1.56, respectively (p=0.067). After brain gym for 3 months, mean MoCA-INA scores in control and intervention groups were 22.33 ± 2.05 and 20.42 ± 1.69, respectively (p= 0.016). Cognitive functioning of postmenopausal women increased after performing brain gym. Postmenopausal women are recommended to perform brain gym to prevent or retard reduction in cognitive functioning.