I-Ting Liu1, Wei-Ju Lee2, Shih-Yi Lin3, Shin-Tsu Chang4, Chung-Lan Kao5, Yuan-Yang Cheng6. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 2. Department of Neurology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 3. Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 4. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. 6. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: rifampin@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether strength or aerobic training can offer significantly more benefits with regarding the activities of daily living of elderly patients with dementia as well as to determine the effects of exercise on cognition, depression, and biochemical markers. DESIGN: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A nursing home for veterans. PARTICIPANTS: A volunteer sample of participants (N=80) whose scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination were between 15 and 26 were included. Because of cardiopulmonary or orthopedic conditions that prohibit exercise training, along with any cognitive problems that may impede answering the contents of our questionnaires, 11 participants were excluded. During the exercise training period, 8 participants voluntarily dropped out of the study. INTERVENTIONS: The participants were randomly assigned to perform either strength or aerobic training for a total of 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the Barthel Index. Other outcome measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Geriatric Depression Scale, plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels, insulin-like growth factor-1 levels, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. RESULTS: After completion of the program, we discovered a significant improvement in the patients' Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels in the strength-training group. For the patients who had received aerobic training, their serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor also improved significantly. However, the degree of improvement regarding these outcome measures did not achieve significant statistical difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Through our study, an intensive 4-week exercise program, whether it be strength or aerobic training, is evidenced to bring significant benefits to elderly patients with dementia, while the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor was additionally improved through aerobic training.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether strength or aerobic training can offer significantly more benefits with regarding the activities of daily living of elderly patients with dementia as well as to determine the effects of exercise on cognition, depression, and biochemical markers. DESIGN: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A nursing home for veterans. PARTICIPANTS: A volunteer sample of participants (N=80) whose scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination were between 15 and 26 were included. Because of cardiopulmonary or orthopedic conditions that prohibit exercise training, along with any cognitive problems that may impede answering the contents of our questionnaires, 11 participants were excluded. During the exercise training period, 8 participants voluntarily dropped out of the study. INTERVENTIONS: The participants were randomly assigned to perform either strength or aerobic training for a total of 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the Barthel Index. Other outcome measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Geriatric Depression Scale, plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels, insulin-like growth factor-1 levels, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. RESULTS: After completion of the program, we discovered a significant improvement in the patients' Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels in the strength-training group. For the patients who had received aerobic training, their serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor also improved significantly. However, the degree of improvement regarding these outcome measures did not achieve significant statistical difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Through our study, an intensive 4-week exercise program, whether it be strength or aerobic training, is evidenced to bring significant benefits to elderly patients with dementia, while the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor was additionally improved through aerobic training.
Authors: Sabrina Gmuca; Maitry Sonagra; Rui Xiao; Elizabeth Mendoza; Kimberly S Miller; Nina H Thomas; Jami F Young; Pamela F Weiss; David D Sherry; Jeffrey S Gerber Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2022-02-24 Impact factor: 3.418