Effects of Multicomponent Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Fall Risk in Older Women With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background Emerging evidence suggests that multicomponent exercise provides greater benefits for physical and cognitive function than single component exercise. However, few studies have been conducted to determine these effects in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and findings have been less conclusive. It has been reported that older women have a greater risk of falls and a higher incidence of dementia than men. Objectives To examine the effects of multicomponent exercise on cognitive performance and fall risk in older women with MCI. Design An experimental design comparing the exercise and control groups. Setting and participants Forty community-dwelling older women with MCI were allocated to the exercise (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. Intervention Twelve weeks of multicomponent exercise program (aerobic, resistance, and balance exercise) 60 mins/day, 3 days/week. Measurement Cognitive performance including the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Trail Making Test (TMT) and fall risk including the Timed Up and Go (TUG) single-, dual-task, and Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) were administered before and after the 12-week exercise program. Results At the end of the 12-week training, participants in the exercise group had a significantly greater improvement in TMT part A (p < 0.05), TUG dual-task (p < 0.05), and PPA composite score (p < 0.05) when compared to the control group. The exercise group also demonstrated significant improvement in TUG dual-task, PPA composite score, PPA subcomponents including postural sway and reaction time when compared to baseline (p < 0.05). In contrast, at 12-week, the control group showed a decline in TUG dual-task performance as compared to baseline (p < 0.05). Conclusion The 12-week multicomponent exercise improved attention, dual-task ability, and reduced risk of falling in older women with mild cognitive impairment.

Automated summary

The study revealed that a 12-week multicomponent exercise program can significantly improve cognitive performance and reduce fall risk in older women with mild cognitive impairment, particularly in enhancing attention and dual-task ability.