Comparing the Effects of Cognitive Training and Physical Exercise on Cognition, Cerebral Autoregulation and Cerebral Vasoreactivity in Men and Women With Heart Failure

"The cognitive training will involve attention control training and memory training, with thrice-weekly 30-min sessions.~Two of these sessions will involve computer or tablet-based attentional control training targeting dual-tasking, updating and working memory, as well as inhibition and switching. Difficulty of cognitive training will be tailored to participants' performances. The remaining session will consist of memory training. Participants will be instructed mnemotechnic, as well as be taught about memory in aging in general."

Participants will follow a 20-week physical training program, with 60-min thrice-weekly trainings. The training sessions will start with a 5-min warm-up, followed by an aerobic training (20 min) after which 20-min of resistance/muscular training will take place. The program will end with a 10-min cool-down. Training will be adapted to individuals' baseline capacity as measured by the baseline cardiorespiratory test. For home-training sessions, participants will have access to a complete exercise training program. A certified kinesiologist will supervise trainings. With the Heart rate sensor Polar H10, all the characteristics of the activities will be recorded (type of the activity, intensity, heart rate, duration). A kinesiologist will call participants every week to ensure the smooth running of the exercises training sessions and individualize the care according to the patient's level.

All patients will receive usual care and be treated according to evidence-based treatments. This will include optimal medical therapy, systematic information regarding dietary and fluid management, and a recommendation for regular physical activity consistent with the latest update of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for the Management of Heart Failure. Moreover, patients who benefit from a prescription for a cardiovascular rehabilitation program will be able to follow it, but they will not receive other forms of intervention for the duration of the study.