Structured Exercise Does Not Stabilize Cognitive Function in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment Residing in a Structured Living Facility

Abstract

Exercise has been shown to have positive effects on the brain and cognition in healthy older adults, though no study has directly examined possible cognitive benefits of formal exercise programs in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) living in structured facilities. Thirty one participants completed neuropsychological testing and measures of cardiovascular fitness at baseline and after 6 months of a structured exercise program that included aerobic and resistance training. While exercise improved cardiovascular fitness in persons with mild cognitive impairment, there was no improvement in cognitive function. Rather, mild cognitive impairment patients in this sample declined in performance on several tests sensitive to Alzheimer's disease. Examined in the context of past work, it appears exercise may be beneficial prior to the onset of MCI, though less helpful after its onset. Keywords mild cognitive impairment; exercise; cognitive functioning; older adults; neuropsychology; cardiovascular fitness There is growing evidence that physical activity is associated with better neurocognitive outcome in older adults. Both cross sectional and prospective studies demonstrate that older adults engaging in regular physical activity show improved performance on neuropsychological testing and fewer pathological changes on neuroimaging Colcombe et al., 2006;Kramer, Colcombe, McAulley, Scalf, & Erickson, 2005).One large prospective study found that older adults with self-reported memory problems exhibited improved cognition after completing an exercise program (Williams & Tappen, 2007). In terms of cognitive function, some studies reported no change (McMurdo & Rennie, 1993;Mulrow et al., 1994;Schnell et al., 1996), while others have found slight improvements (Molloy, Beerschoten, Borrie, Crilly, & Cape, 1988;Powell, 1974). A recent study examined the effects of aerobic exercise in community-dwelling persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (Baker et al., 2010). Baker and colleagues (2010) randomized 33 individuals with MCI into a 6-month aerobic exercise or stretching control group. Individuals in the aerobic exercise group exercised for 45-60 minutes per day, four days per week exerting 75-85% of heart rate reserve while those in the stretching control group completed stretching activities on the same schedule, but exerting 50% of less of heart rate reserve. Results indicated that aerobic exercise had beneficial gender-specific effects on cognition. Specifically, women in the aerobic exercise group (N = 10) showed cognitive benefits, with improved performance on tasks of executive function (Baker et al., 2010).Given these promising findings, the current study examined the possible cognitive benefits of a 6-month aerobic and resistance training exercise program in persons with MCI residing in a structured living facility. Implementation of this program into a living facility was chosen based on the growing number of individuals living in these communities and their importance in promoting health in a numbe...

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