Comparison of multiple interventions for older adults with Alzheimer disease or mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Background:The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD) emphasizes the need for effective treatments. Both pharmacological therapies such as nutrition therapy (NT) and nonpharmacologic therapies including traditional treatment or personalized treatment (e.g., physical exercise, music therapy, computerized cognitive training) have been approved for the treatment of AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in numerous areas.Methods:The aim of this study was to compare 4 types of interventions, physical exercise (PE), music therapy (MT), computerized cognitive training (CCT), and NT, in older adults with mild to moderate AD or MCI and identify the most effective intervention for their cognitive function. We used a system of search strategies to identify relevant studies and include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), placebo-controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of 4 interventions in patients with AD or MCI. We updated the relevant studies which were published before March 2017 as a full-text article. Using Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA), we ranked cognitive ability based objectively on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and assessed neuropsychiatric symptoms based on Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Pairwise and network meta-analyses were sequentially performed for efficacy and safety of intervention compared to control group through RCTs included.Results:We included 17 RCTs. Fifteen trials (n = 1747) were pooled for cognition and no obvious heterogeneity was found (I2 = 21.7%, P = .212) in NMA, the mean difference (MD) of PE (MD = 2.1, confidence interval [CI]: 0.44–3.8) revealed that PE was significantly efficacious in the treatment group in terms of MMSE. Five trials (n = 660) assessed neuropsychiatric symptoms with an obvious heterogeneity (I2 = 61.6%, P = .034), the MD of CCT (MD = −7.7, CI: −14 to −2.4), revealing that CCT was significantly efficacious in NPI.Conclusions:As the first NMA comparing different interventions for AD and MCI, our study suggests that PE and CCT might have a significant improvement in cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms respectively. Moreover, nonpharmacological therapies might be better than pharmacological therapies.

Cognition-Oriented Treatments for Older Adults: a Systematic Overview of Systematic Reviews

“…Second, investigations of heterogeneity (mixed-effects subgroup analyses and meta-regressions) can be expanded to incorporate network meta-analysis approaches. In addition to attempts to compare different cognition-oriented treatment approaches (e.g., Liang et al, 2018), it may be possible to use component network meta-analysis (Pompoli et al, 2018), which allows for different intervention components to be dismantled and compared in order to identify the optimal combination of intervention ingredients or techniques. In complex interventions such as cognition-oriented treatments, this approach could lead to a better understanding of the most (or least) essential components, which could have important theoretical and clinical implications.…”

Cognition-oriented treatments for older adults: A systematic overview of systematic reviews

“…Second, investigations of heterogeneity (mixed-effects subgroup analyses and metaregressions) can be expanded to incorporate network meta-analysis approaches. In addition to attempts to compare different COT approaches (e.g., Liang et al, 2018), it may be possible to use component network meta-analysis (Pompoli et al, 2018), which allows for different intervention components to be dismantled and compared in order to identify the optimal combination of intervention ingredients/techniques. In complex interventions such as COTs, this approach could lead to a better understanding of the most (or least) essential components, which could have important theoretical and clinical implications.…”

Meta-analysis: Resistance Training Improves Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…Fortunately, through early intervention, 22 % of MCI patients can recover cognition at a normal level [7], but a recent review showed that cognitive enhancers (the main therapeutic drugs for MCI, which include cholinesterase) did not improve the cognitive function of MCI patients and were accompanied by side effects [8]. Non-pharmacological interventions may serve to complement pharmacotherapy, and epidemiological evidence indicates that physical exercise is associated with cognitive benefits [9,10] and may promote the improvement of MCI patients to the condition of normal aging. Studies show that exercise may promote neuroplasticity and play a neuroprotective role by affecting insulin-like growth factor-1, anti-inflammation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor pathways [11][12][13][14][15].…”