Exercise Training is Beneficial for Alzheimer's Patients

Abstract

Decreased ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) associated with deterioration in physical capacity are key determinants of the poor quality of life and loss of independence of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-week training program (including resistance, flexibility, joint mobility and balance/coordination exercises) for Spanish patients with AD on their i) overall functional capacity (muscle strength and flexibility, agility and balance while moving, and endurance fitness), and ii) ability to perform ADLs. Using a randomized block design, 16 patients were assigned to a training (mean [SD] age: 76 [4] yrs) or control group (73 [4] yrs) (n = 8 subjects [3 male, 5 female] per group). The results showed significant improvements after training (p < 0.05) in upper and lower body muscle strength and flexibility, agility and dynamic balance, and endurance fitness (using the Senior Fitness test), gait and balance abilities (with subsequent decrease in risk of falls) (Tinetti scale) and in the ability to perform ADLs independently (Katz and Barthel scores). No changes (p > 0.05) were found in the control group over the 12-week period. Exercise training could be included in the overall medical/nursing care protocol for patients with AD.

A systematic review of the effects of physical activity on physical functioning, quality of life and depression in older people with dementia

“…When more than one time point was reported, we used the longest follow-up time. The authors of three trials (Baum et al, 2003;Toulotte et al, 2003;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008) were contacted for additional data and two responded.…”

“…Fifteen papers, relating to 13 randomised controlled trials met our inclusion criteria (Table 1) (Tappen et al, 2000;Cott et al, 2002;Baum et al, 2003; Teri et al, 2003;Toulotte et al, 2003;Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Littbrand et al, 2006;Rosendahl et al, 2006;Netz et al, 2007;Rolland et al, 2007;Burgener et al, 2008;Kwak et al, 2008;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008;Tappen, 2007, 2008). Most trials were small, the 13 trials included a total of 896 participants, (range 16-191 participants), and six trials had less than 20 participants in the intervention group.…”

“…There were also five trials from Europe (Toulotte et al, 2003;Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Rosendahl et al, 2006;Rolland et al, 2007;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008) and one each from Korea (Kwak et al, 2008) and Israel (Netz et al, 2007). Eight of the trials were conducted in the institutions in which the patients were resident which were variously described as care homes, institutions or hospitals (Tappen et al, 2000;Cott et al, 2002;Baum et al, 2003;Toulotte et al, 2003;Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Rolland et al, 2007;Williams and Tappen, 2007;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008). The other interventions were either delivered in a community facility (Netz et al, 2007;Burgener et al, 2008;Kwak et al, 2008), in the patient's home (Teri et al, 2003) or in a sheltered housing complex .…”

“…Mean age ranged from 73 (AE4) years to 88 (AE6.32) years. Most studies had more female participants (Tappen et al, 2000;Cott et al, 2002;Baum et al, 2003;Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Rosendahl et al, 2006;Williams and Tappen, 2007;Kwak et al, 2008;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008), and two studies included only female participants (Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Kwak et al, 2008). One did not report participants' gender (Toulotte et al, 2003).…”

“…The level of cognition of participants varied from a mean MMSE score of 6 (AE6) (Cott et al, 2002) to 24.8 (AE 3.5) (Burgener et al, 2008). Dementia was formally diagnosed in eight of the studies (Tappen et al, 2000;Cott et al, 2002;Teri et al, 2003;Van de Winckel et al, 2004;Rolland et al, 2007;Williams and Tappen, 2007;Burgener et al, 2008;Santana-Sosa et al, 2008).…”