Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Anatolia Sport Research, cilt.7, sa.1, ss.69-83, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)
Aim:The aim of this study was to examine the effect of long-term sports participation on cognitive and neural functions in aging by comparing cognitive performance and hemodynamic responses of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) in master athletes and sedentary elderly men. Despite growing interest in aging and exercise, there remains a limited understanding of how long-term sports participation influences both cognitive performance and underlying neural mechanisms, particularly using ecologically validneuroimaging methods such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)Material and Methods:A total of 61 male individuals aged between 50 and 70 years participated in the study (x ± SD = 58.3 ± 6.3). Thirty of the participants were master athletes who had been regularly participating in sports for at least four years, and 31 were sedentary individuals. The computer-based Color-Word Stroop Test was administered to the participants, while hemodynamic activity in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was simultaneously measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Reaction time, error rate, and changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) were analyzed under neutral, concordant, and nonconcordant conditions of the Stroop test.Results:Master athletes were found to have significantly shorter reaction times compared to sedentary individuals, particularly in the incompatible task condition (p < 0.05).. fNIRS findings showed higher task-dependent Oxy-Hb activation in the dlPFC region in master athletes.Conclusion:Long-term sports participation in male individuals aged 50–70 years is associated with increased cognitive processing speed related to executive functions and enhanced prefrontal cortex activation. The findings suggest that regular sports participation can support healthy aging and play a significant role in maintaining cognitive and neural functions. In contrast, the lower error rates observed in sedentary individuals may reflect a more conservative response strategy, potentially indicating a speed–accuracy trade-off.