Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41383816›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in aging neuroscience2025

Primitive reflexes as behavioral biomarkers of cognitive aging: associations with physical activity and resilience-a pilot study.

Anna Horváth-Pápai, Eliza Eszter Tóth, István Barthalos, Zoltán Alföldi, Johanna Takács, Ferenc Ihász

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Article in Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Anna Horváth-PápaiDoctoral School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
Eliza Eszter TóthFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Széchenyi István University, Győr, Hungary.
István BarthalosDoctoral School of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Zoltán AlföldiDoctoral School of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Johanna TakácsDepartment of Social Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Ferenc IhászDoctoral School of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Primitive reflexes (PRs) are brainstem-mediated automatic responses that typically disappear in early life, but may reappear in older age, which may be associated with neurodegenerative processes. But the presence of PRs in cognitively healthy adults has not yet been sufficiently explored. The relationship between PRs and cognitive functioning (COG) may be influenced by modifiable factors such as physical activity (PA) and psychological resilience. This cross-sectional observational pilot study aimed to investigate the mediating and moderating role of physical activity and resilience in the association between primitive reflexes and cognitive functioning in older adults. Methods: A total of 30 older adults (mean age 73.4 ± 6.9 years; 80% female) living in residential care facilities were assessed. PRs were evaluated using standardized neurological protocols, COG was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination, PA with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and resilience with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Moderation and mediation models were tested using Hayes' PROCESS macro, controlling for age and BMI. Results: A higher number of primitive reflexes was strongly associated with lower cognitive functioning [COG ( Discussion: These findings highlight primitive reflexes as potential behavioral biomarkers of cognitive aging, and underscore the importance of physical activity as a protective factor that may buffer against neurocognitive decline.

Indexed as

behavioral biomarkerscognitive agingexecutive functionphysical activityprimitive reflexes

Identifiers

PMID41383816
PMCPMC12689534

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