Zahra Asadi Samani
Nader Rahnama

To date, few studies have been done on the effects of exercise and physical activity on cognitive function of the elderly, especially in square stepping exercise. The study of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor after a period of square stepping exercise and its comparison with resistance training can be useful and effective in future to suggest type of exercise to different groups of the elderly. The purpose of this study was to comparison the effect of ۳ months square stepping exercise with resistance training on Brain-derived neurotrophic factor.۳۵ elderly women participated and randomly divided into two groups: square step exercise (age: ۶۸.۸ ±۲.۶, height: ۱۵۵.۴ ±۵.۶, weight: ۷۱.۱ ±۸.۵, n=۱۹) and resistance training (age: ۶۶.۵ ±۱.۲, height: ۱۵۶.۱ ±۷.۹, weight: ۶۹.۱ ±۶.۸, n=۱۶). Square stepping exercise includes walking on a thin mat divided into ۴۰ squares of ۲۵ * ۲۵. A total of ۱۹۶ step patterns were designed based on the difficulty level in eight categories (beginner ۱ and ۲, intermediate ۱ and ۲ and ۳, advanced ۱ and ۲ and ۳), which according to the time conditions and duration of this research in total ۱۵۶ gait patterns were performed in six levels: beginner ۱ and ۲, intermediate ۱, ۲ and ۳, advanced ۱.Pre and after ۱۲ weeks training blood sample were collected. To data analysis repeated measure analysis variance were used.Data results showed a significant increase for Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in both groups (p<۰.۰۵). There was no significant difference between two training groups (p>۰.۰۵).It can be concluded that both types of exercises have been effective in Brain-derived neurotrophic in elderly women. Also, square step exercise versus resistance training almost equally improved the balance.

Square Stepping Exercise؛ Resistance training؛ Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Elderly Woman