Predicting Motor and Cognitive Performances Based on Mood States of Active and Inactive Elderly

Researchers always have been interested in study of motor and cognitive performance and effective factors in order to prevention of reducing the physical functions in old age. So this study was conducted to answer this question and its objective is to predict motor and cognitive performances among active and inactive elderly based on their mood states. 70 elderly (60-83 years old) in Shiraz city were participated in this study. They filled in Yale Physical Activity questionnaire and the Mood States Questionnaire of Terry & Lane (BRUMS). Countdown task was used to measure the cognitive performance، and to measure the motor performance clapping and walking tasks were used. Multivariate analysis of variance، Pearson Correlation Coefficient and linear regression was used in this study. The results of MANOVA showed that the active elderly possess more positive mood states and have a better motor and cognitive performance than the inactive group of elderly. The results of regression showed that the increase of fatigue and tension in active group، will lead to an increase and decrease in motor and cognitive performance respectively. The results of this study support previous studies on the role of physical activity in improving motor and cognitive performance and mood states in elderly.