This study aims to investigate the acute effects of single-session different forms of aerobic exercise (brisk walking and Baduanjin) on inhibitory function and resting-state EEG power in older adults with cognitive impairment, providing scientific evidence for developing exercise intervention programs for this population.

Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following core questions:

1. Can a single session of brisk walking and a single session of Baduanjin exercise improve reaction time and accuracy on the Stroop color-word task in older adults with cognitive impairment?
2. Are there differential effects on inhibitory function between the two exercise modalities?
3. Does a single exercise session induce immediate changes in resting-state EEG power spectrum across multiple frequency bands (δ, θ, α, β)?
4. Are changes in resting-state EEG power associated with improvements in inhibitory function?

Forty-five older adults with cognitive impairment will be randomly assigned to three groups (n=15 each): brisk walking group, Baduanjin group, and control group (quiet seated rest). Participants in the brisk walking and Baduanjin groups will each perform a single 30-minute moderate-intensity exercise session. All participants will complete the Stroop color-word task (assessing reaction time and accuracy under both congruent and incongruent conditions) and undergo a 5-minute eyes-closed resting-state EEG recording before and immediately after the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 60 years, regardless of gender;
• Right-handed;
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score ≤ 25;
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision;
• Normal hearing;
• Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of severe cognitive impairment or other neurodegenerative diseases;
• Presence of psychiatric disorders, or current or long-term use of psychotropic medications;
• Presence of severe cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart failure, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, etc.);
• Presence of severe muscle diseases, or a history of lower limb injury within the past six months that would preclude the ability to stand for extended periods.

De-identified data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request for legitimate academic purposes, subject to approval by the research team and, where necessary, the relevant ethics committee, and under an appropriate data-use agreement.