Interventions to Improve Gait in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.
Study Goal
To investigate which intervention features contribute to improving gait in older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia.
Results Summary
Exercise programs focusing on strength, balance, and functional mobility training improved gait in people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Combining physical training with cognitive training, especially targeting attention and executive function, further enhanced gait performance.
Population
Older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antidementia medication | increase | gait variability | people with Alzheimer's disease | - | may improve | #1 |
Exercise programs focusing on strength and balance training, especially when combined with functional mobility training | increase | gait | people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia | - | improve | #2 |
Exercise plus cognitive training programs combining strength and balance training, functional mobility training, and training on attention and executive function | increase | gait | - | - | improve | #3 |
Physical exercises including functional mobility training, especially walking | increase | gait performance | - | - | have better results | #4 |
OBJECTIVES: To review intervention programs that measure gait to investigate what features of the intervention may contribute to improving gait in older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia. DESIGN: Systematic review using Medline, Cinahl, Scopus, PsychInfo, Amed, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed for original research published in English between January 1, 2000, and July 23, 2018, to identify interventional controlled trials. Narrative synthesis was undertaken. RESULTS: Of 6,379 citations, 36 articles met inclusion criteria. Interventions were categorized as medication or medical devices (8 studies), exercise (19 studies), and exercise plus cognitive training (9 studies). Antidementia medication may improve gait variability in people with Alzheimer's disease. Exercise programs focusing on strength and balance training, especially when combined with functional mobility training, improve gait in people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Exercise plus cognitive training programs combining strength and balance training, functional mobility training, and training on attention and executive function also improve gait. CONLUSION: Physical and cognitive factors affect gait performance, and both should be addressed in intervention programs. Physical exercises including functional mobility training, especially walking, have better results than physical programs with only static, resistance, and flexibility training. Cognitive intervention should be concomitant with physical exercises rather than separate, with a focus on attention and executive function. Combining physical training with cognitive training in a functional context may assist older adults with cognitive impairment generalize from training to everyday activity. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:381-391, 2019.