Impacto de uma sessão de exercício resistido em dupla tarefa no desempenho cognitivo e glicemia capilar de pessoas idosas com Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2

Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is associated with metabolic alterations and declines in cognitive functions, including inhibitory control, especially in older adults. Resistance exercise (RE) is recognized for its beneficial effects on physical and metabolic health. The combination of physical and cognitive demands—termed dual-task resistance exercise (RE-DT) - has been explored as a potential strategy to provide additional cognitive stimulation. Objective: To analyze the acute effects of a single RE-DT session on inhibitory control and capillary blood glucose levels in older adults with T2DM. Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, single-blind, crossover study. Eighteen older adults (mean age = 67.7 ± 5.99 years; 83% female) participated in two intervention sessions (RE and RE-DT), separated by a seven-day washout period. Both sessions consisted of moderate-intensity resistance training (50–70% of 1RM; three sets of 10–15 repetitions across six exercises). During the RE DT session, participants simultaneously performed the Stroop cognitive task. Inhibitory control (assessed via the Flanker test) and capillary blood glucose were measured before and 15 minutes after each intervention. Results: A significant reduction in capillary blood glucose levels was observed following both interventions (F(1,50) = 19.922; p < 0.001; η²p = 0.285), with no significant difference between protocols (p = 0.742). Regarding cognitive outcomes, response time in the incongruent condition was significantly reduced after the interventions (F(1,47) = 4.468; p = 0.040; η²p = 0.087), regardless of the intervention type, while conflict cost showed a significant main effect of the intervention (F(1,47) = 7.117; p = 0.010; η²p = 0.131), with lower scores observed in the ER-DT condition. No significant differences were found in accuracy scores or the number of correct responses in the congruent and incongruent conditions. Conclusion: The findings indicate that a single session of resistance exercise, with or without a dual-task, promoted an acute reduction in capillary blood glucose and improved response time in older adults with T2DM. The observed difference in conflict cost between protocols may reflect variations in inhibitory performance, which should be interpreted with caution.