Panacea Index Logo

Command Palette

Search for a command to run...

Interventions to Improve Gait in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
February 1, 2019
Weihong Zhang et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

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

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
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
Abstract

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.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Activities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overCognitive Behavioral TherapyCognitive DysfunctionDementiaExercise TherapyFemaleGaitGait Disorders, NeurologicHumansMaleResistance Training
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality90/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations33
Citations/Year5.5
Relative Citation Ratio2.71
NIH Percentile82.7%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score2.54
Normalized Score0.72
Related Supplements
Interventions to Improve Gait in Older Adults with Cognitive... | Panacea Index