Effects Of Aerobic Exercise On Cognitive And Motor Function In AD And MCI Patients

Background:Meta-analysis showed that aerobic exercise can improve cognition, especially in memory and executive function. But there are some controversies about intensity, time and frequency of aerobic exercise.Objective:The aim of this study is that to evaluate the effect of middle intensity of aerobic exercise in elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease.Method:Forty-eight patients with Alzheimer’s disease were randomly divided into a exercise group(EG n=24) and a control group(CG n=24). The EG received supervised aerobic exercise for intensity of 70% and 3 sessions per week 40min each for 3 months. The CG only accepted dementia education. Participants’MMSE and ADAS-Cog of cognitive, recall and recognition of memory, METs and HRmax of aerobic fitness and ADAS-ADL of activities of daily living were performed before and after 3 months.Results:Forty-one participants completed the whole observation (EG n=21, CG n=20). At baseline, the EG and the CG showed no significant differences in any characteristics such as age, sex, education and MMSE. After 3 months, the EG showed improvement in ADAS-Cog, recall, METs and ADAS-ADL. And compared to the CG, the EG presented significant improvement on MMSE (P<0.05). There were no significant change of any score in the CG.Conclusion:The program of the aerobic exercise of the intensity of 70% (middle intensity) and 3 sessions per week 40min each for 3 months can improve cognitive function, aerobic fitness and activities of daily living in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.Background:Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) has been one stage of the clinical spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Current studies have confirmed that aerobic exercise can improve cognition in AD and MCI, but the forms of exercise is not suit to community.Objective:Based on Chinese square dance to design an aerobic dance suit to community, and confirmed its safety and validity (Program 1). We also assess the effect of aerobic dance on the cognition, aerobic fitness and activities of daily living in MCI (Program 2).Methods:Program 1:Eleven elderly participants, aged 50 to 80 years, were recruited to learn an aerobic dance. During participants dancing we recorded their heart rate, blood pressure and rating of perceived exertion, and assessed the safety and validity of the aerobic dance, Program 2:Twenty-two participants with MCI were randomly divided into a exercise group (EG n=11) and a control group (CG n=11). The EG received supervised aerobic dance for intensity of 70% and 5 sessions per week 35min each for 3 months. The CG only accepted dementia education. Participants’MMSE and MoCA of cognitive,6-minute walk test of aerobic fitness and functional activities questionnaire of activities of daily living were performed at baseline and month 3.Results:Program 1:During aerobic dance the heart rate of all participants achieved 60%～80% of max heart rate. This accorded with the definition of aerobic exercise. And there was no adverse event happened during aerobic dance. Program 2:We recruited 22 participants (EG=11, CG=11). There was no difference between two groups at baseline. Average attendance was 55.4, and adherence was 85.23%. There was 3 dropouts along the study (EG=2, CG=1). In the EG after 3 months MoCA and 6MWT respectively improved 2.37% and 5.99%, but there was no difference.Conclusion:The aerobic dance was a safe and valid aerobic exercise. The adherence of aerobic dance was 85.23%, but its effect of cognition of MCI was still unknown.