"Mind" versus "Body" in Mild Cognitive Impairment Rehabilitation: Does a Multicomponent Physical Exercise Program Have a Dichotomous Effect on Cognitive Functions and Physical Performance?

In the relevant study by Boulares and colleagues, the importance of a multicomponent physical activity program in improving balance skills and leading to falling risk and fear reduction in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is highlighted, despite the lack of cognitive effects. Given this apparent discrepancy between "body" and "mind" in MCI rehabilitation, the present commentary faces and discusses these findings within the existing literature and poses the question whether there were actually no cognitive results or if the program design and evaluation tool used were not sensitive enough to detect them, at least at this stage.

Limits of stability and falls during a multicomponent exercise program in faller older adults: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/OBJETIVES: Multicomponent exercise programs have been demonstrated to prevent falls in older adults. However, the underlying responsible mechanisms are not clear. We aimed to analyze the association between changes in the limits of stability (LOS) as a relevant balance component, and falls occurrence during a multicomponent physical exercise program. METHODS: Retrospective study, including ninety-one participants who had experienced a fall in the previous year, and were attended in a falls unit. All of them were included in a twice-a-week multicomponent exercise program during 16 weeks. Pre- and post-program measurements were collected for leg press, gait speed, the short physical performance battery (SPPB), and LOS (point of excursion [POE] and maximal excursion [MEX]) with posturography. Falls occurrence was assessed between the beginning and the completion of the exercise program (16 week). RESULTS: The mean age was 77.2 years, and 72 were female. Thirty-two participants fell at least once during the exercise period. The global baseline POE was 47.6 %, and the MEX was 64.7 %, and there were no differences between fallers and nonfallers. Nonfallers presented greater improvements in POE (6.3 % versus 1.3 %; p < .05) and MEX (9.2 % versus 3.0 %; p < .01) than fallers. The POE and MEX were independently associated with a reduced probability of having had a fall, OR: 0.95 (95 % CI: 0.91 to 0.99) and 0.94 (95 % CI: 0.90 to 0.99), respectively. Changes in SPPB results or leg press strength were not associated with decreased falls. Adjusted probability of fall occurrence decreased by 5 % and 6 % per 1 % improvement in absolute values in POE and MEX, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in LOS after a multicomponent physical exercise program in older adults with previous falls may be associated with a decreased occurrence of falls.

Research progress on multicomponent physical exercise for patients with neurocognitive impairment.

Neurocognitive impairment is a group of clinical syndromes characterized by impaired cognitive function and decreased motor ability. Non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise have advantages in the treatment of patients with neurocognitive impairment. Multicomponent exercise is a combination of various physical exercises, including strength training, endurance training, balance training and flexibility training, that can improve gait, balance and cardiopulmonary function by increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance in people with neurocognitive impairment, while also reducing the risk of falls in elders. This article reviews the benefits of multicomponent exercise for patients with neurocognitive impairment and its evaluation methods; also describes 4 intervention programs and their clinical application, to provide evidence for clinical practice and promote the application of multicomponent exercise in patients with neurocognitive impairment.

El ejercicio físico multicomponente como herramienta de mejora de la fragilidad en personas mayores / Multi-component physical exercise as a tool to improve frailty in older people

Introducción:La fragilidad, entendida como un estado de vulnerabilidad y prediscapacidad en el paciente geriátrico, lleva asociada un aumento significativo del riesgo de morbimortalidad y, con ello, un impacto importante en la calidad de vida y la funcionalidad de las personas mayores con enfermedades crónicas y/o degenerativas. En este sentido, se ha constatado como el ejercicio físico aparece como una herramienta óptima no farmacológica para preservar y/o mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas mayores. Objetivos: Analizar la influencia de la práctica de ejercicio físico multicomponente en la mejora del estado de fragilidad de las personas mayores inscritas en clases de gimnasia de mantenimiento. Metodología: Estudio transversal y analítico que evaluó (pre- y posprograma) el nivel de fragilidad, la condición física y las constantes vitales de 118 personas mayores. Todos los participantes recibieron un entrenamiento de ejercicio físico multicomponente durante 12 semanas con una frecuencia de 3 días por semana con 1 h de duración. Resultados: Los datos muestran mejora en la condición física tras el programa de intervención con independencia del nivel físico de partida. Por otro lado, se observó una disminución del número de personas prefrágiles tras el programa. Conclusiones: los programas de ejercicio físico multicomponente optimizan la calidad de vida, mejoran la salud, y previenen la fragilidad de las personas mayores (AU)

Introduction: Frailty, understood as a state of vulnerability and prediscapability in the geriatric patient, is associated with a significant increase in the risk of morbidity and mortality, and with it an important impact on the quality of life and functionality of elderly with chronic diseases and/or degenerative. In this sense, it has been verified how physical exercise appears as an optimal non-pharmacological tool to preserve and / or improve the quality of life of the elderly. Objectives: To analyze the influence of the practice of multicomponent physical exercise in improving the frailty state of the elderly enrolled in maintenance gym classes. Methods: Crosssectional and analytical study that evaluated (pre- and postprogram) the level of frailty, physical condition and vital signs of 118 elderly people. All participants received 12-week multicomponent physical exercise training 3 hours a week, lasting one hour. Results: Data show improvement in physical condition after the intervention program regardless of the starting physical level. On the other hand, a decrease in the number of pre-fragile people was observed after the program. Conclusions: Multicomponent physical exercise programs optimize quality of life, improve health, and prevent frailty in the elderly (AU)

Research progress on multicomponent physical exercise for patients with neurocognitive impairment / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Neurocognitive impairment is a group of clinical syndromes characterized by impaired cognitive function and decreased motor ability. Non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise have advantages in the treatment of patients with neurocognitive impairment. Multicomponent exercise is a combination of various physical exercises, including strength training, endurance training, balance training and flexibility training, that can improve gait, balance and cardiopulmonary function by increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance in people with neurocognitive impairment, while also reducing the risk of falls in elders. This article reviews the benefits of multicomponent exercise for patients with neurocognitive impairment and its evaluation methods; also describes 4 intervention programs and their clinical application, to provide evidence for clinical practice and promote the application of multicomponent exercise in patients with neurocognitive impairment.

Effects of a Tailored Exercise Intervention in Acutely Hospitalized Oldest Old Diabetic Adults: An Ancillary Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of a tailored exercise intervention in acutely hospitalized elderly diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is an ancillary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 103 acutely hospitalized elderly adults (mean age ~87 years) with type II diabetes were randomized to an intervention (exercise, n = 54) or control group (usual care, n = 49). The primary endpoint was change in functional status from baseline to hospital discharge as assessed with the Barthel Index and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Secondary endpoints comprised cognitive function and mood status, quality of life (QoL), incidence of delirium, and handgrip strength. Exercise-related side effects, length of hospital stay, and incidence of falls during hospitalization were also assessed, as well as transfer to nursing homes, hospital readmission, and mortality during a 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: The median length of stay was 8 days (interquartile range, 4) for both groups. The intervention was safe and provided significant benefits over usual care on SPPB (2.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8, 3.5]) and Barthel Index (8.5 [95% CI: 3.9, 13.1]), as well as on other secondary endpoints such as cognitive status, depression, QoL, and handgrip strength (all P < 0.05). No significant between-group differences were found for the remainder of secondary endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: An in-hospital individualized multicomponent exercise intervention was safe and effective for the prevention of functional and cognitive decline in acutely hospitalized elderly diabetic patients, although it had no influence on other endpoints assessed during hospitalization or at the 3-month follow-up after discharge.

Impact of a supervised multicomponent physical exercise program on cognitive functions in patients with type 2 diabetes.

This study evaluated the impact of a multicomponent exercise program on cognitive functions in participants with Type 2 Diabetes. Participants (n = 70, 65.6 ± 5.9 years) engaged in the program (75 min per session; 3 x week) for 32 weeks. A battery of cognitive tests was performed at baseline and study completion. Two groups were formed according to their attendance rate (low and high attendance), and statistical comparisons were computed on their changes in cognitive performance. Such changes were also associated with the attendance rate for all participants. Results showed no significant differences between groups in their change scores, although there were some within-group differences in both groups. Correlation analysis showed that the attendance rate was not associated with cognitive performance changes, except for one variable. As the exercise program did not improve cognitive function, we discuss the potential of future interventions to incorporate dual-task activities merging physical and cognitive stimulation.