Multi-component exercise training improves the physical and cognitive function of the elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a six-month randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: This study explored the effects of multi-component exercise training on the physical and cognitive function of the elderly with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A total of 90 older adults with MCI were chosen from screened volunteers and randomly assigned into 2 groups (n=45), and 84 completed the 6-month follow-up. Participants in the control group received general community health instruction, while the multi-component exercise training performed on the other group. The multi-component exercise training performed on these participants was designed to suit Chinese elderly based on advice from the nursing specialist and sports medicine specialist after the preliminary experiment. The Chinese version Mini-Physical Performance Test (CM-PPT), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores were examined by repeated measures analysis of variance to evaluate the physical and cognitive function of adults with MCI before and at 3 and 6 months after the intervention. The follow-up data collectors were blinded to group allocation. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: (I) The average score of CM-PPT was increased from 11.36±2.69 to 11.88±2.40 and 12.83±2.19 in 3 and 6 months respectively after intervention, while control group was decreased from 10.79±2.73 to 10.24±2.62 in 3 months and 9.21±2.09 in 6 months. CM-PPT scores with the main intervention effect and the interaction between intervention and time were both statistically significant (P<0.05), indicating that the physical function of participants with MCI were improved after intervention. (II) The average score of MoCA was increased from 21.52±2.05 to 23.48±1.47 (3 months) and 25.19±1.29 (6 months) after intervention, while control group was decreased from 21.14.79±1.97 to 20.21±1.88 and 19.45±2.00 in 3 and 6 months. The score of MMSE showed the same trend with the score of MoCA. The MoCA score with main intervention effect and the MMSE and MoCA scores with the effect of time, the MMSE and MoCA scores with the interaction between the intervention and time were all statistically significant (P<0.05), showing that the cognitive function of participants with MCI was improved by the intervention. Conclusions: Multi-component exercise training could significantly improve physical function and cognitive function of the elderly with MCI.

Associations of Multidomain Interventions With Improvements in Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…The publication period ranged from 2011 to 2021, as summarized in Table 1 . 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 Seventeen studies recruited participants from the community 31 , 32 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 whereas 11 recruited from memory clinics. 33 , 34 , 35 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 Total sample sizes ranged from 22 to 555, with a mean (SD) age of 71.6 (3.4) years.…”

“…Multidomain interventions included cognitive and physical components 35 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 48 , 52 ; multiple exercise 33 , 40 , 49 , 50 , 55 , 56 or cognitive components 34 ; nutritional supplements 33 , 47 ; mind-body 38 , 46 , 54 ; education 57 , 58 ; cognitive, physical, and social components 31 ; combined cognitive training with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) 51 ; and exercise with music ( Table 1 ). 53 Eighteen studies conducted the intervention components sequentially, 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 54 , 57 , 58 whereas 10 studies conducted them simultaneously. 32 , 35 , 39 , 45 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ,…”

“… 53 Eighteen studies conducted the intervention components sequentially, 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 54 , 57 , 58 whereas 10 studies conducted them simultaneously. 32 , 35 , 39 , 45 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 55 , 56 Interventions were also completed in a group setting in 19 studies 31 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 58 compared with the remaining 9, which were conducted individually. 32 , 37 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 51 , 57 Lastly, the active control in 21 studies contained 1 component of the multidomain int...…”

“… 32 , 37 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 51 , 57 Lastly, the active control in 21 studies contained 1 component of the multidomain intervention, 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 57 , 58 whereas 7 studies used alternative interventions. 31 , 33 , 49 , 50 , 52 , 55 , 56 Cognitive outcomes converged under 7 domains: attention, executive function, global cognition, memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, and other (eg, reaction time, visuospatial) ( Table 2 ).…”

“…Twenty studies evaluated global cognition, of which 12 reported improvements 34 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 49 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 58 and 7 found no differences in the multidomain intervention compared with the control ( Table 2 ). 31 , 33 , 45 , 46 , 48 , 53 , 57 One study reported increased global cognition scores in the multidomain group, but the changes were smaller than the control.…”