Ageing of the population in most western societies requires strategies for promoting mental and physical health in older members of the workforce. It is necessary to identify those factors which help maintain mental and physical health and preserve the ability to work and levels of performance for as long as possible. The benefit of sports and physical activity on physical health is well-known and widely propagated. Recent findings also highlight positive effects of endurance sports on cognitive functions. This paper deals with the effects of intensive endurance training on cognitive performance in the elderly. We review the findings of representative studies in an attempt to answer the following questions: Do the results indicate a positive effect of endurance sports on cognitive performance in the elderly? Which areas of cognitive functioning are involved? How can we use these findings for everyday life?
