Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract Background Aging-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment greatly impacts older adults’ daily life. The worldwide ageing of the population and associated wave of dementia urgently calls for prevention strategies to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity (PA) is kn...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-07-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x |
| _version_ | 1818126927432515584 |
|---|---|
| author | Freja Gheysen Louise Poppe Ann DeSmet Stephan Swinnen Greet Cardon Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij Sebastien Chastin Wim Fias |
| author_facet | Freja Gheysen Louise Poppe Ann DeSmet Stephan Swinnen Greet Cardon Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij Sebastien Chastin Wim Fias |
| author_sort | Freja Gheysen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Aging-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment greatly impacts older adults’ daily life. The worldwide ageing of the population and associated wave of dementia urgently calls for prevention strategies to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity (PA) is known to improve cognitive function at older age through processes of neuroplasticity. Yet, emerging studies suggest that larger cognitive gains may be induced when PA interventions are combined with cognitive activity (CA). This meta-analysis evaluates these potential synergistic effects by comparing cognitive effects following combined PA + CA interventions to PA interventions (PA only), CA interventions (CA only) and control groups. Methods Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Sportdiscus were searched for English peer-reviewed papers until April 2018. Data were extracted on cognition and factors potentially influencing the cognitive effects: mode of PA + CA combination (sequential or simultaneous), session frequency and duration, intervention length and study quality. Differences between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments were also explored. Results Forty-one studies were included. Relative to the control group, combined PA + CA intervention showed significantly larger gains in cognition (g = 0.316; 95% CI 0.188–0.443; p < .001). Studies that compared combined PA + CA with PA only, showed small but significantly greater cognitive improvement in favor of combined interventions (g = 0.160; 95% CI 0.041–0.279; p = .008). No significant difference was found between combined PA + CA and CA only interventions. Furthermore, cognitive effects tended to be more pronounced for studies using simultaneous designs (g = 0.385; 95%CI 0.214–0.555; p < .001) versus sequential designs (g = 0.114; 95%CI -0.102- 0.331, p = .301). Effects were not moderated by session frequency, session duration, intervention length or study quality. Also, no differences in effects were found between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments. Conclusion Findings of the current meta-analysis suggest that PA programs for older adults could integrate challenging cognitive exercises to improve cognitive health. Combined PA + CA programs should be promoted as a modality for preventing as well as treating cognitive decline in older adults. Sufficient cognitive challenge seems more important to obtain cognitive effects than high doses of intervention sessions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:09:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8971c6471b224b11bcecccec26ac7a0f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:09:14Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-8971c6471b224b11bcecccec26ac7a0f2022-12-22T01:16:23ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682018-07-0115111310.1186/s12966-018-0697-xPhysical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysisFreja Gheysen0Louise Poppe1Ann DeSmet2Stephan Swinnen3Greet Cardon4Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij5Sebastien Chastin6Wim Fias7Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityMovement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU LeuvenDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Ghent UniversityAbstract Background Aging-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment greatly impacts older adults’ daily life. The worldwide ageing of the population and associated wave of dementia urgently calls for prevention strategies to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity (PA) is known to improve cognitive function at older age through processes of neuroplasticity. Yet, emerging studies suggest that larger cognitive gains may be induced when PA interventions are combined with cognitive activity (CA). This meta-analysis evaluates these potential synergistic effects by comparing cognitive effects following combined PA + CA interventions to PA interventions (PA only), CA interventions (CA only) and control groups. Methods Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Sportdiscus were searched for English peer-reviewed papers until April 2018. Data were extracted on cognition and factors potentially influencing the cognitive effects: mode of PA + CA combination (sequential or simultaneous), session frequency and duration, intervention length and study quality. Differences between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments were also explored. Results Forty-one studies were included. Relative to the control group, combined PA + CA intervention showed significantly larger gains in cognition (g = 0.316; 95% CI 0.188–0.443; p < .001). Studies that compared combined PA + CA with PA only, showed small but significantly greater cognitive improvement in favor of combined interventions (g = 0.160; 95% CI 0.041–0.279; p = .008). No significant difference was found between combined PA + CA and CA only interventions. Furthermore, cognitive effects tended to be more pronounced for studies using simultaneous designs (g = 0.385; 95%CI 0.214–0.555; p < .001) versus sequential designs (g = 0.114; 95%CI -0.102- 0.331, p = .301). Effects were not moderated by session frequency, session duration, intervention length or study quality. Also, no differences in effects were found between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments. Conclusion Findings of the current meta-analysis suggest that PA programs for older adults could integrate challenging cognitive exercises to improve cognitive health. Combined PA + CA programs should be promoted as a modality for preventing as well as treating cognitive decline in older adults. Sufficient cognitive challenge seems more important to obtain cognitive effects than high doses of intervention sessions.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-018-0697-xMeta-analysisOlder adultsPhysical activityCognitive activityCognitionCombined intervention |
| spellingShingle | Freja Gheysen Louise Poppe Ann DeSmet Stephan Swinnen Greet Cardon Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij Sebastien Chastin Wim Fias Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Meta-analysis Older adults Physical activity Cognitive activity Cognition Combined intervention |
| title | Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full | Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_short | Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_sort | physical activity to improve cognition in older adults can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | Meta-analysis Older adults Physical activity Cognitive activity Cognition Combined intervention |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT frejagheysen physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT louisepoppe physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT anndesmet physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT stephanswinnen physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT greetcardon physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT ilsedebourdeaudhuij physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT sebastienchastin physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT wimfias physicalactivitytoimprovecognitioninolderadultscanphysicalactivityprogramsenrichedwithcognitivechallengesenhancetheeffectsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis |