A controlled clinical trial on the effects of motor intervention on balance and cognition in institutionalized elderly patients with dementia

Abstract

Six months of multidisciplinary or physiotherapeutic intervention were able to improve a person's balance. Although global cognition did not improve through treatment, when the intervention was carried out on a multidisciplinary basis we observed an attenuation in the decline of global cognition on two specific cognitive domains. Exercises applied in different contexts may have positive outcomes for people with dementia.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Health and Well-Being of Individuals Living With a Dementia in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review

“…Full texts of the remaining 102 studies were read and the inclusion criteria applied: 15 eligible studies of which three were excluded due to low methodological quality. Twelve studies were included in the systematic review: 11 RCTs (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24) and one cluster RCTs (25) , of which one RCT had generated three separate publications. Williams C (2015 pers.…”

“…Fifty seven percent of the studies received a score of seven or above which suggests the results were less likely to be bias (12,15,17,18,20,22,25) . Eight was the highest score obtained: achieved by four studies (12,15,17,18) . Three studies obtained a score of less than five (cutoff value) so were excluded from the systematic review due to their high risk of bias (26)(27)(28) .…”

“…Only one included a sub analysis of participants that had low mobility (determined by the inability to walk more than 91.4 meters in the six minute walk test at baseline); they found that the changes were the same as in the whole group analysis though any improvements made were more pronounced in the low mobility group (14,22,23) . One study did not mention the functional ability of the participants (18) and all other studies only provided information on the required functional ability as part of the inclusion criteria. The level of functional ability and how it was measured varied widely across the studies.…”

“…Six control groups received no extra input but continued to participate in the usual care and activities provided at the nursing homes (15,17,(19)(20)(21)24) . One control group had no motor intervention (the meaning of 'no motor intervention' was not clarified by the authors) (18) .…”

The effect of exercise intervention on cognitive performance in persons at risk of, or with, dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…One study reported on participants with severe AD [27], and two studies reported on participants with a range of severe-to-mild AD [28,29]. Three reports included participants with moderate-to-mild dementia [30][31][32], three studies reported on individuals with amnestic MCI and mild dementia [33][34][35], and one study reported on participants with a range of moderate-tomild cognitive impairment and mild dementia [36]. One study reported on individuals with a range of moderate-to-mild cognitive impairment [37], another study reported on participants with MCI and mild dementia [38], and two reported on individuals with MCI only [39,40].…”