Premium
Effect of physical activity on memory function in older adults with mild A lzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment
Author(s) -
Tanigawa Takanori,
Takechi Hajime,
Arai Hidenori,
Yamada Minoru,
Nishiguchi Shu,
Aoyama Tomoki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.12159
Subject(s) - cognition , medicine , preferred walking speed , cognitive decline , cognitive impairment , physical medicine and rehabilitation , disease , dementia , audiology , physical therapy , psychiatry
Aim It is very important to maintain cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive disorder. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the amount of physical activity is associated with memory function in older adults with mild cognitive disorder. Methods A total of 47 older adults with mild cognitive disorder were studied; 30 were diagnosed with mild A lzheimer's disease and 17 with mild cognitive impairment. The global cognitive function, memory function, physical performance and amount of physical activity were measured in these patients. We divided these patients according to their walking speed (<1 m/s or >1 m/s). A total of 26 elderly patients were classified as the slow walking group, whereas 21 were classified as the normal walking group. Results The normal walking group was younger and had significantly better scores than the slow walking group in physical performance. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that only the daily step counts were associated with the S cenery P icture M emory T est in patients of the slow walking group (β = 0.471, P = 0.031), but not other variables. No variable was significantly associated with the S cenery P icture M emory T est in the normal walking group. Conclusions Memory function was strongly associated with the amount of physical activity in patients with mild cognitive disorder who showed slow walking speed. The results show that lower physical activities could be a risk factor for cognitive decline, and that cognitive function in the elderly whose motor function and cognitive function are declining can be improved by increasing the amount of physical activity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 758–762.