en سلامت جانبازان يا معلولان Veterans or Handicapped Health پژوهشی اصيل Original Research <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Aims:</span></span></span></b> <span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">Physical exercise is a useful stimulus for improving cognitive function in the elderly, and this effect appears to be mediated by stimulating the secretion of neurotrophic growth factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This study aimed to investigate the effect of functional training on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and executive functions in obese elderly men.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Materials & Methods:</span></span></span></b> <span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">The present quasi-experimental study, using a pre-test/post-test design, was conducted with 30 elderly men living in a nursing home in Khorramabad, aged 60 to 75, who were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). In the pre-test phase, blood was drawn from participants after a 12-hour fast, and they then completed the Stroop task. Physical training was performed for eight weeks, 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes. The post-test phase was conducted 48 hours after the last training session and followed the same procedures as the pre-test. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test and univariate analysis of covariance.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Findings:</span></span></span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"> Functional training had a significant effect on increasing the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in obese elderly men, with the experimental group maintaining BDNF levels from 939.13&plusmn;83.83ng/mL pre-test to 934.80&plusmn;68.77ng/mL post-test, while the control group showed a decrease from 944.00&plusmn;87.60ng/mL to 871.53&plusmn;28.97ng/mL (p<0.05). Functional training also significantly improved executive functions, as evidenced by changes in accuracy (number of correct responses) from 32.33&plusmn;89.4 to 27.93&plusmn;39.6 in the experimental group compared to 27.46&plusmn;36.6 to 28.33&plusmn;80.4 in the control group (p<0.05).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:normal"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#f79646">Conclusion:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">Functional training elevates serum </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif">brain-derived neurotrophic factor</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif"> levels and enhances cognitive flexibility in obese elderly men.</span></span></span></span></span></span> Brain Training, Neurogenesis, Cognitive Flexibility 57 64 http://ijwph.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2396-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 B. Hasanvand 15300319475328460028863 15300319475328460028863 Yes Department of Physical Education, Khor.C. (Khorramabad Campus), Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran