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Effects of Park Golf on Working Memory and Prefrontal Cortex Activation in Older Adults
Sponsor: Gwangju Health University
Summary
This study investigates whether a park golf program can improve working memory and prefrontal cortex activity in community-dwelling older adults. A total of 36 older adults (aged 65-85) were randomly assigned to either a park golf group or a health education group. The park golf group participated in a supervised park golf program (2 sessions per week for 4 weeks, 60 minutes per session), while the health education group attended lectures on healthy aging topics such as nutrition and fall prevention on the same schedule. Before and after the intervention, participants completed cognitive and physical assessments, including the Korean Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), the Timed Up and Go test, and a spatial working memory task (N-back) performed while brain activity in the prefrontal cortex was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive, radiation-free imaging method. The findings may help establish evidence for community-based physical activity programs, such as park golf, as a strategy to support cognitive health in older adults.
Official title: Does Park Golf Affect Working Memory?: An fNIRS-Based Randomized Controlled Trial in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - 85 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
36
Start Date
2026-09-10
Completion Date
2026-10-15
Last Updated
2026-09-08
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Park Golf Program
A structured, supervised park golf program consisting of 8 sessions over 4 weeks (2 sessions/week, 60 minutes/session). Each session included a 10-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of park golf technique instruction and practice, and a 10-minute cool-down, conducted at an outdoor community park under the supervision of trained instructors.
Health Education Program
A structured health education program consisting of 8 sessions over 4 weeks (2 sessions per week, 60 minutes per session), covering topics such as senior health management, nutrition, fall prevention, and chronic disease management, conducted at a community facility.
Locations (1)
Gwangju Health University, Buk-gu Campus, Smart Care Village
Gwangju, Gwangju, South Korea