TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of Combined Cognitive and Physical Interventions to Enhance Functioning in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
T2 - A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
AU - Yang, Chenchen
AU - Moore, Ami
AU - Mpofu, Elias
AU - Dorstyn, Diana
AU - Li, Qiwei
AU - Yin, Cheng
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - Background and Objectives: Cognitive training delivered in conjunction with physical activity, may help to optimize aging and delay or prevent dementia in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, their efficacy is less well studied compared to pharmaceutical treatments. This systematic review synthesizes the emerging evidence on combined cognitive-physical interventions for enhancing functioning in older adults with MCI, with implications for practice and research. Research Design and Methods: We searched the PubMed, PsycINFO, Ageline, Medline, Web of Science and ProQuest databases, and hand-searched articles published between July 2013 and November 2018. Only randomized controlled trials which incorporated cognitive and physical components targeted to individuals with MCI over the age of 50 were eligible. Our search yielded 10 eligible, independent articles. Results: Intervention participants with MCI self-reported, or demonstrated, improved functioning across a range of cognitive (global cognitive function, executive function, processing speed, memory, attention, mood, emotion, motivation, brain cortex, orientation), and physical (gait, balance, mobility) outcomes. Interventions which combined cognitive-physical training were comparable to those which isolated these same elements, in terms of their effects on executive function, processing speed, attention, mood, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Discussion and Implications: There is preliminary evidence to support the positive effects of multicomponent interventions to improve cognitive-motor abilities in older adults at risk of developing dementia. The strength of this research evidence is, however, limited. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these effects are maintained over time. The optimal intervention intensity and length also need to be established.
AB - Background and Objectives: Cognitive training delivered in conjunction with physical activity, may help to optimize aging and delay or prevent dementia in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, their efficacy is less well studied compared to pharmaceutical treatments. This systematic review synthesizes the emerging evidence on combined cognitive-physical interventions for enhancing functioning in older adults with MCI, with implications for practice and research. Research Design and Methods: We searched the PubMed, PsycINFO, Ageline, Medline, Web of Science and ProQuest databases, and hand-searched articles published between July 2013 and November 2018. Only randomized controlled trials which incorporated cognitive and physical components targeted to individuals with MCI over the age of 50 were eligible. Our search yielded 10 eligible, independent articles. Results: Intervention participants with MCI self-reported, or demonstrated, improved functioning across a range of cognitive (global cognitive function, executive function, processing speed, memory, attention, mood, emotion, motivation, brain cortex, orientation), and physical (gait, balance, mobility) outcomes. Interventions which combined cognitive-physical training were comparable to those which isolated these same elements, in terms of their effects on executive function, processing speed, attention, mood, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Discussion and Implications: There is preliminary evidence to support the positive effects of multicomponent interventions to improve cognitive-motor abilities in older adults at risk of developing dementia. The strength of this research evidence is, however, limited. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these effects are maintained over time. The optimal intervention intensity and length also need to be established.
KW - Aged
KW - Cognition
KW - Dementia
KW - Exercise
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096815561&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/geront/gnz149
DO - 10.1093/geront/gnz149
M3 - Review article
C2 - 31697831
AN - SCOPUS:85096815561
SN - 0016-9013
VL - 60
SP - E633-E642
JO - The Gerontologist
JF - The Gerontologist
IS - 8
ER -