Exercise Associated with Cognitive Function in Older Men with Prostate Cancer Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy

Background: To examine associations between exercise and cognitive function in older men undergoing hormone therapy for prostate cancer. Method: Men ≥ 65 years old with prostate cancer, currently undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for ≥ 6 months (n = 50), completed the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, and standard neuropsychological tests. Pearson’s correlations and linear regressions were used to examine associations between exercise and cognitive performance. Results: Exercise was significantly positively correlated with performance on tests of memory, attention, and executive function. Linear regressions showed that when controlling for age and education, exercise remained a significant predictor of attention and executive function performance (p < 0.05), and showed moderate, but statistically non-significant effects on memory performance (p < 0.10). Conclusion: Greater exercise is associated with better functioning in multiple cognitive domains in men with prostate cancer undergoing hormone therapy, providing proof-of-concept evidence that exercise may be a feasible intervention to limit cognitive dysfunction in prostate cancer patients.