Compare the density of white and gray matter of the brain, cognitive function and some physical fitness factors in active and low active elderly women

The purpose of this study was to compare the white and gray matter of the brain, cognitive function and some physical fitness factors active and low active elderly women. This study was a causal-comparative study. The statistical population was the elderly of the members of the Jahanideh Shahr club. Among them, 25 elderly women aged 60-86 years were volunteered (average height 155.63 cm, weight 65.64 kg, and BMI 28.27 kg / m2).. Subjects completed the Mental Status Questionnaire (Feltin et al., 1975) for assessing dementia and measuring cognitive performance score. MRI images were obtained from the subjects to examine the white matter and gray matter content. The analysis of the images was done by Voxel-based morphometric method (Ashbourne and Fristo 1997). In addition, physical activity score of Beck (Baecke & et al 1982) was measured and the subjects were divided Purposefully into active and low active groups. Functional tests of upper and lower muscular endurance and strength and lower extremity flexibility were performed. There was no significant difference between the two groups (active and low active) in density of the white and gray matter of the brain and the cognitive performance score. However, the mean score of physical activity and physical fitness indices, muscular endurance, upper strength and upper flexibility in the active group was significantly more than that of the low active group. There was no difference between the two active and non-active groups in white matter and gray matter of the whole brain. However, if there was a possibility of a regional comparison between the components of the brain, probably, a significant difference could be observed.