Effects of Exercise in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Abstract

The authors aimed to provide an overview of the evidence on the effects of exercise in people with Alzheimer’s disease through a comprehensive review of the existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A literature search was performed in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The AMSTAR-2-Tool was used for the quality assessment. Twenty-three reviews fulfilled the criteria. Most of the reviews investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. The largest effects of exercise were seen in terms of improved cognition by multiple exercises. The majority of the reviews were rated as being of moderate quality and none were classified as having high quality. Exercise is an effective way to treat Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and has a low incidence of related adverse events. As most reviews were evaluated as low-moderate quality, caution is needed in the interpretation of the results.

Effects of Ten Different Exercise Interventions on Motor Function in Parkinson’s Disease Patients—A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Is there a treatment option that is less costly and has almost no side effects? Physical exercise has made good progress in the treatment of other degenerative diseases due to its great ease of handling and the absence of side effects [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. As a result of research and studies, it has been noted in relevant Parkinson’s disease rehabilitation studies that physical exercise can be of considerable help in improving motor function and slowing down the progression of Parkinson’s disease in people with it [ 9 ].…”

Treadmill Exercise Modulates Intestinal Microbes and Suppresses LPS Displacement to Alleviate Neuroinflammation in the Brains of APP/PS1 Mice

“…AD neuropathology develops over years to decades, and cognitive dysfunction is a characteristic clinical behavioral feature [ 48 ]. Patients with AD who engage in long-term physical exercise demonstrate improved memory capacity [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Our research provides evidence for the beneficial effects of long-term physical exercise on the spatial learning memory capacity and its underlying mechanisms in APP/PS1 mice.…”

Effects of Air Pollution on the Health of Older Adults during Physical Activities: Mapping Review

“…Currently, the deleterious effects of air pollution on mental and cognitive health are well established, for example, it is known that exposure to PM 2.5 and NO 2 is a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease and that increased exposure to PM 2.5 , NO 2 , and O 3 is related to the development of depression in older adults [ 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 ]. In contrast, exercise and PA in general produce effects that decrease depression and improve mood in older adults [ 97 , 98 ], as well as being a recognized way to treat Alzheimer’s disease [ 5 ]. Thus, the findings demonstrate the importance of PA in the mental health of the older population.…”

“…The literature contains many studies demonstrating the favorable health effects of physical exercise, with it being recommended for different age groups and patients in different clinical conditions [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. On the other hand, it is known that when an individual performs physical exertion during physical activity (PA), physiological alterations occur, such as increased ventilation and airflow velocity.…”