Walking exercise and improved neuropsychological functioning in elderly patients with cardiac disease

. Objectives . The present study examines the effects of exercise by walking on demented elderly patients with cardiac diseases. Design . Walking exercise, mental activity and brain atrophy were assessed by using the number of steps, Hasegawa's dementia score and computed tomography, respectively. Setting/subjects . Forty‐six elderly patients with cardiac disease who were living in a metropolitan city. Interventions . The Hasegawa dementia score was determined for each patient. The memory scores were used to divide the patients into four groups: normal, > 30.0; subnormal, 30.0 ∽ 22.0; pre‐dementia, 21.5 ˜ 10.5; and dementia, < 10.0. The walking exercises were performed every day. We also studied the ratio of the fullness of the brain (S 1 ) to head size (S), represented as a percentage (S 1 /S × 100). We screened our patients for depression by means of a self‐rating depression test. Main outcome measures . Walking exercise and improved mental activities. Results . The mean numbers of the steps per day for the groups were 3386 ± 676 (normal), 1008 ± 193 (subnormal), 1597 ± 661 (pre‐dementia) and almost no walking (dementia). The mean values of the S 1 /S ratio for the first three groups were as follows: normal, 84.8 ± 3.2; subnormal, 79.2 ± 4.3; and pre‐dementia, 76.8 ± 4.9. Only one patient was positive with regard to the depression test. Conclusions . The mental activity of elderly cardiac patients with dementia and/or brain atrophy improved with exercise from walking.