Although a growing number of studies have reported the positive effects of acute aerobic exercise on mood and executive function in older adults, little is known about the effect of aerobic dance exercise(ADE)on executive function. In the present study, we aimed to compare the acute effects of light-intensity, slow-tempo ADE and light-intensity cycling exercise(CE)on mood and executive function in older adults. Twenty-one older adults performed each type of exercise for 10 minutes on separate days. The intensity of the CE was set at 60% of the ventilatory threshold. Before and after the exercise, mood(i.e., vitality, stability, pleasure, and arousal)and executive function were assessed by using the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale and the Stroop task, respectively. The heart rates and ratings of perceived exertion during exercise indicated that the intensities of both types of exercise were within the light-intensity range. Vitality and pleasure levels were increased following ADE, but no such changes were observed following CE. Although no differences in stability levels were observed following either type of exercise, we observed a significant interaction between time and exercise group, suggesting that there could be differences between the acute effects of ADE and CE. Unlike other psychological levels, the arousal level was increased to the same extent following both types of exercise. Stroop interference time, an indicator of executive function, was shortened to the same extent after both types of exercise. These findings suggest that ADE may represent an effective exercise modality for enhancing mood and executive function in older adults.
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