The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Function in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Shiyan Zhang, Kai Zhen, Qing Su, Yiyan Chen, Yuanyuan Lv () and Laikang Yu ()
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Shiyan Zhang: Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
Kai Zhen: Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
Qing Su: Ersha Sports Training Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510100, China
Yiyan Chen: Department of Sports Performance, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
Yuanyuan Lv: Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
Laikang Yu: Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: A growing body of research has examined the effect of aerobic exercise on cognitive function in people with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), but the findings of the available studies were conflicting. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of aerobic exercise on cognitive function in AD patients. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases from the inception of indexing until 12 November 2021. Cochrane risk assessment tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included literature. From 1942 search records initially identified, 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were considered eligible for systematic review and meta-analysis. Included studies involved 503 participants in 16 exercise groups (mean age: 69.2–84 years) and 406 participants (mean age: 68.9–84 years) in 15 control groups. There was a significant effect of aerobic exercise on increasing mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score in AD patients [weighted mean difference (WMD), 1.50 (95% CI, 0.55 to 2.45), p = 0.002]. Subgroup analyses showed that interventions conducted 30 min per session [WMD, 2.52 (95% CI, 0.84 to 4.20), p = 0.003], less than 150 min per week [WMD, 2.10 (95% CI, 0.84 to 3.37), p = 0.001], and up to three times per week [WMD, 1.68 (95% CI, 0.46 to 2.89), p = 0.007] increased MMSE score significantly. In addition, a worse basal cognitive status was associated with greater improvement in MMSE score. Our analysis indicated that aerobic exercise, especially conducted 30 min per session, less than 150 min per week, and up to three times per week, contributed to improving cognitive function in AD patients. Additionally, a worse basal cognitive status contributed to more significant improvements in cognitive function.

Keywords: aerobic exercise; Alzheimer’s disease; cognitive function; mini-mental state examination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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