Effect of Physical Activity on Executive Function for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review

Objective. A systematic review with a meta-analysis explored effects of cognitively loaded physical activity interventions on global cognition in community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years of age) experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to any control. Methods. A literature search was conducted in 4 databases (MEDLINE [OvidSP], PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [Wiley]) from inception until January 30, 2018. The meta-analysis was conducted with Review Manager 5.3. Results. Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 547 participants were identified. The interventions ranged from 4 to 52 weeks. Baseline and initial follow-up assessments were used. The primary pooled analysis of all RCTs demonstrated a nonsignificant trivial effect (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.44 to 0.58) favoring the intervention. In pooled subanalysis of 4 RCTs (n = 405) using the same global cognition measure (Mini-Mental State Examination) and duration of intervention >12 weeks, the intervention group achieved a small but significant improvement for global cognition (SMD 0.45, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.75). Conclusion. When all the RCTs were pooled, the effect of cognitively loaded physical activity intervention on global cognitive function in older adults with MCI remained unclear. The subgroup analysis provides translation evidence for future RCT study designs.

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Effectiveness of Combined Cognitive and Physical Interventions to Enhance Functioning in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnz149 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. e633-e642 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Chenchen Yang ◽

Ami Moore ◽

Elias Mpofu ◽

Diana Dorstyn ◽

Qiwei Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Randomized Controlled

Abstract Background and Objectives Cognitive training delivered in conjunction with physical activity, may help to optimize aging and delay or prevent dementia in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, their efficacy is less well studied compared to pharmaceutical treatments. This systematic review synthesizes the emerging evidence on combined cognitive-physical interventions for enhancing functioning in older adults with MCI, with implications for practice and research. Research Design and Methods We searched the PubMed, PsycINFO, Ageline, Medline, Web of Science and ProQuest databases, and hand-searched articles published between July 2013 and November 2018. Only randomized controlled trials which incorporated cognitive and physical components targeted to individuals with MCI over the age of 50 were eligible. Our search yielded 10 eligible, independent articles. Results Intervention participants with MCI self-reported, or demonstrated, improved functioning across a range of cognitive (global cognitive function, executive function, processing speed, memory, attention, mood, emotion, motivation, brain cortex, orientation), and physical (gait, balance, mobility) outcomes. Interventions which combined cognitive-physical training were comparable to those which isolated these same elements, in terms of their effects on executive function, processing speed, attention, mood, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Discussion and Implications There is preliminary evidence to support the positive effects of multicomponent interventions to improve cognitive-motor abilities in older adults at risk of developing dementia. The strength of this research evidence is, however, limited. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these effects are maintained over time. The optimal intervention intensity and length also need to be established.

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Integrating Mind Body Skills and Physical Activity in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Chronic Pain

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct04044183 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Chronic Pain ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment

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Repetition Priming in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuropsychology Review ◽

10.1007/s11065-021-09504-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Liselotte De Wit ◽

Vitoria Piai ◽

Pilar Thangwaritorn ◽

Brynn Johnson ◽

Deirdre O’Shea ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Repetition Priming ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Amnestic Mci ◽

Standard Mean Difference ◽

Priming Paradigm

AbstractThe literature on repetition priming in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is inconsistent, with some findings supporting spared priming while others do not. Several factors may explain these inconsistencies, including AD severity (e.g., dementia vs. Mild Cognitive Impairment; MCI) and priming paradigm-related characteristics. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a quantitative summary of repetition priming in AD. We examined the between-group standard mean difference comparing repetition priming in AD dementia or amnestic MCI (aMCI; presumably due to AD) to controls. Thirty-two studies were selected, including 590 individuals with AD dementia, 267 individuals with amnestic MCI, and 703 controls. Our results indicated that both individuals with aMCI and AD dementia perform worse on repetition priming tasks than cognitively older adults. Paradigm-related moderators suggested that the effect size between studies comparing the combined aMCI or AD dementia group to cognitively healthy older adults was the highest for paradigms that required participants to produce, rather than identify, primes during the test phase. Our results further suggested that priming in AD is impaired for both conceptual and perceptual priming tasks. Lastly, while our results suggested that priming in AD is impaired for priming tasks that require deep processing, we were unable to draw firm conclusions about whether priming is less impaired in aMCI or AD dementia for paradigms that require shallow processing.

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The impact of physical activity on blood inflammatory cytokines and neuroprotective factors in individuals with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research ◽

10.1007/s40520-021-02069-6 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Chuyi Ma ◽

Miaoran Lin ◽

Jiahui Gao ◽

Shurui Xu ◽

Li Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Inflammatory Cytokines ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

The Impact

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Mild Cognitive Impairment Affects Obstacle Negotiation in Older Adults: Results from “Gait and Brain Study”

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000492931 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 164-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Frederico Pieruccini-Faria ◽

Yanina Sarquis-Adamson ◽

Manuel Montero-Odasso

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Dual Task ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Step Length ◽

Gait Control ◽

Dual Tasking ◽

Brain Study

Background: Older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are at higher risk of falls and injuries, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Inappropriate anticipatory postural adjustments to overcome balance perturbations are affected by cognitive decline. However, it is unknown whether anticipatory gait control to avoid an obstacle is affected in MCI. Objective: Using the dual-task paradigm, we aim to assess whether gait control is affected during obstacle negotiation challenges in older adults with MCI. Methods: Seventy-nine participants (mean age = 72.0 ± 2.7 years; women = 30.3%) from the “Gait and Brain Study” were included in this study (controls = 27; MCI = 52). In order to assess the anticipatory control behaviour for obstacle negotiation, a 6-m electronic walkway embedded with sensors recorded foot prints to measure gait speed and step length variability, during early (3 steps before the late phase) and late (3 steps before the obstacle) pre-crossing phases of an ad hoc obstacle, set at 15% of participant’s height. Participants walked under single- and dual-task gait (counting backwards by 1’s from 100 while walking) conditions. Three-way mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance models examined differences in gait performance between groups when transitioning between pre-crossing phases towards an obstacle during single- and dual-task conditions. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, years of education, lower limb function, fear of falling, medical status, depressive symptoms, baseline gait speed and executive function. Results: A significant three-way interaction among groups, pre-crossing phases and task showed that participants with MCI attenuated the gait deceleration (p = 0.02) and performed fewer step length adjustments (p = 0.03) when approaching the obstacle compared with controls while dual-tasking. These interactions were attenuated when executive function performance was added as a covariate in the adjusted statistical model. Conclusion: Older adults with MCI attenuate the anticipatory gait adjustments needed to avoid an obstacle when dual-tasking. Deficits in higher-order cognitive processing may limit obstacle negotiation capabilities in MCI populations, being a potential falls risk factor.

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