Objective: The aim of this protocol study was to investigate the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive function in the elderly.

Method: The study is planned as a single-centre, double-blind, parallel group randomised controlled experimental design and will be conducted in accordance with SPIRIT. The sample of the study will consist of healthy elderly people aged 60-80 years. In order to ensure parametric conditions, the sample will be divided into two groups as experimental group (n=30) in which neuroathletic exercise will be performed and control group (n=30) in which Turkey Physical Activity Guidelines will be given and a total of 60 elderly people will be randomly assigned to the groups. The elderly assigned to the experimental and control groups according to the order of randomisation will be administered the timed up and go test (TUG), short physical performance battery (SPPB), geriatric depression scale (GDÖ), MoCA test as pre-test and post-test. The experimental group will be asked to perform neuroathletic exercises two days a week for 12 weeks under the supervision of a physiotherapist, and will be asked to perform a home exercise programme one day a week. The control group will be given the Turkish Physical Activity guide. Data will be collected by the researcher.

Results: Considering the limited number of studies on the use of neuroathletic exercises in the literature, it is thought that our randomised controlled study designed to determine the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive functions in the elderly will contribute to the literature.

Neuroathletic exercise is an umbrella term encompassing the disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience. The term refers to the further development of biomechanically controlled and defined athletic training through components of movement control by the nervous system. In the early 2000s, athletic trainer Eric Cobb began to combine the two disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience and began to develop a neuroathletic exercise training system for trainers and therapists based on neuroscientific findings. Finally, Cobb combined findings from neuroscience with practical experience from therapy and training to create his own training concept, the Z-Health Performance Training System. The aim of the Z-Health Performance Training System was to integrate movement control systems into classical athletic training, which until then had been completely biomechanically controlled and designed. Neuroathletic training works like this: for every movement perform, the brain needs sensory information from the three movement control systems: the eyes (visual system), balance (vestibular system) and self-perception in space (proprioceptive system). The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The clearer and better the quality of the signals from these systems, the better the physical performance, and if the communication between the systems is disrupted or the information is too poor, this will negatively affect the success of the exercise. Exercise that focuses on these processes and the weak points of the nervous system is called neuroathletic exercise. It helps to streamline these processes to improve performance and prevent injury. Neuroathletic exercise can help the body regain its ability to process original stimuli and thus improve our quality of life and performance in almost all areas of sport and daily life.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages between 60-80
• Volunteering to participate in the study
• Having the ability to perform physical, cognitive and sensory tests and exercises

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a history of injury to the lower and upper extremities within the last year
• Having regular physical activity or sports habits.
• Having participated in any physical activity program in the last 6 months
• Having a sensory pathology that prevents participation in the study
• Having any musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory or cardiovascular pathology that will limit exercise
• Having a history of malignant disease
• Having an eye defect that cannot be corrected with lenses, such as cataracts, that prevents tests

It is planned to write a report and article with the data of the study.

2 year