Development of a Combined Exercise and Cognitive Stimulation Intervention for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment—Designing the MEMO_MOVE PROGRAM

Abstract

Dementia patients are at high risk for the decline of both physical and cognitive capacities, resulting in an increased risk of the loss of autonomy. Exercise is regarded as a non-pharmacological therapy for dementia, considering the potential benefits of preventing cognitive decline and improving physical fitness. In this paper, we aim to describe the different design stages for an exercise program combined with cognitive stimulation for a population with mild cognitive impairment, i.e., the MEMO_MOVE program. Methods: The intervention design followed the Medical Research Council’s guidelines for complex interventions and was structured according to the six steps in quality intervention development (6SQuID). The intervention was described considering the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). In order to establish the intervention characteristics, a literature review was conducted to collate and analyze previous work, which provided a summary the type of exercise that should be implemented among this population. Results: The MEMO_MOVE program was structured and described, regarding (i) inclusion of a cognitive stimulation component; (ii) the kind of cognitive stimulation; and (iii) the type of exercise, duration, frequency, intensity, and program length. Conclusions: A systematic step-by-step process design was followed to create a specific intervention to promote physical fitness and cognitive stimulation in individuals with mild dementia.

Relationship Between Physical Exercise and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Chain Mediating Roles of Sleep Quality and Depression

“…are often used to alleviate the decline in cognitive function. 28 During the aging process, older adults experience muscle loss and osteoporosis. These symptoms limit their ability to perform daily activities and reduce opportunities for exercise and socialization, which can lead to both the body and brain not receiving adequate stimulation.…”

Physical activity interventions in older adults with a cognitive impairment: A critical review of reviews

“…Another concern is related to the revision types taken into account. In fact, six different revision types were included in this critical review (narrative, revision, over‐review, systematic review, meta‐analysis, and umbrella‐review), which according to criteria, such as the overarching goal, search strategy, appraisal of included studies, analysis, and synthesis, 50 make it difficult to achieve a concrete proposal of guidelines for the physical training of the elderly with MCI. Indeed, most of the review studies are too vague in what concerns exercise prescription, and those that were not vague were systematic reviews, 7 , 22 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 51 , 52 and meta‐analysis.…”

Investigation into the vascular contributors to dementia and the associated treatments

“…Current studies are already showing promising results: high-intensity exercises show approximately a 64% reduction in dementia progression amongst participants [77]. Similarly, some analyses draw attention to the importance of behavioral therapy, both in the context of exercise and cognitive training as treatments for dementia [78,79]. In other words, exercise in the context of neurological training has also been identified as being crucial to the production of neurotrophins and insulin-like growth factor 1, which further promote cerebral blood flow [78,79].…”

“…Similarly, some analyses draw attention to the importance of behavioral therapy, both in the context of exercise and cognitive training as treatments for dementia [78,79]. In other words, exercise in the context of neurological training has also been identified as being crucial to the production of neurotrophins and insulin-like growth factor 1, which further promote cerebral blood flow [78,79]. Comparably, the Institute of Medicine further spotlights the importance of remaining socially and intellectually engaged, especially for patients with dementia [75,80].…”