Executive Function: Responses to Aerobic Exercise in Alzheimer's Disease

Overview

Journal Geriatr Nurs

Specialty Nursing

Date 2017 Oct 17

PMID 29031520

Citations 10

Authors

Fang Yu

David M Vock

Terry R Barclay

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Executive dysfunction occurs early and is prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study tested the ability of different measures for identifying changes in executive function and the effect of 6-months of aerobic exercise on executive function in older adults with mild to moderate AD, using a single-group, repeated-measures design (n = 28, age 78.1 ± 8.37). Factor analysis and linear mixed-effects model analyses showed that individually the Exit Interview-25 (EXIT-25), Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale (BDS), and Golden Stroop test were the preferred instruments for measuring changes in executive function in the sample. The COWAT and TMT had substantial floor effects limiting their ability to identify changes in executive function. A single latent factor was sufficient to describe the heterogeneity of executive function. Over 6 months, aerobic exercise maintained executive function (effect size = -0.11, -0.24, -0.27, and -0.21 for the EXIT-25, BDS, Stroop, and latent factor, respectively). Decline in the latent factor (effect size = -0.21, p = 0.06) was minimal and comparable to that in global cognition (effect size = -0.20, p = 0.34). Aerobic exercise may be effective on maintaining executive function in AD.

Citing Articles

Treadmill exercise in combination with acousto-optic and olfactory stimulation improves cognitive function in APP/PS1 mice through the brain-derived neurotrophic factor- and Cygb-associated signaling pathways.

Xiao B, Chu C, Lin Z, Fang T, Zhou Y, Zhang C Neural Regen Res. 2024; 20(9):2706-2726.

PMID: 39105365 PMC: 11801291. DOI: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01681.

The Effects of Different Exercise Interventions on Patients with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Chen R, Zhao B, Huang J, Zhang M, Wang Y, Fu J J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2024; 11(3):620-631.

PMID: 38706278 PMC: 11060994. DOI: 10.14283/jpad.2024.65.

Geroprotective interventions in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Sonsalla M, Lamming D Geroscience. 2023; 45(3):1343-1381.

PMID: 37022634 PMC: 10400530. DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00782-w.

Effects of Involuntary and Voluntary Exercise in Combination with Acousto-Optic Stimulation on Adult Neurogenesis in an Alzheimer's Mouse Model.

Li W, Gao J, Lin S, Pan S, Xiao B, Ma Y Mol Neurobiol. 2022; 59(5):3254-3279.

PMID: 35297012 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02784-9.

Comparative efficacy of various exercise interventions on cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Huang X, Zhao X, Li B, Cai Y, Zhang S, Wan Q J Sport Health Sci. 2021; 11(2):212-223.

PMID: 34004389 PMC: 9068743. DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.05.003.

References

Stuss D, Levine B . Adult clinical neuropsychology: lessons from studies of the frontal lobes. Annu Rev Psychol. 2001; 53:401-33. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135220. View

Belanger S, Belleville S, Gauthier S . Inhibition impairments in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and healthy aging: effect of congruency proportion in a Stroop task. Neuropsychologia. 2009; 48(2):581-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.10.021. View

Stuss D, Alexander M . Executive functions and the frontal lobes: a conceptual view. Psychol Res. 2000; 63(3-4):289-98. DOI: 10.1007/s004269900007. View

Smith P, Blumenthal J, Hoffman B, Cooper H, Strauman T, Welsh-Bohmer K . Aerobic exercise and neurocognitive performance: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials. Psychosom Med. 2010; 72(3):239-52. PMC: 2897704. DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181d14633. View

Voss M, Erickson K, Prakash R, Chaddock L, Malkowski E, Alves H . Functional connectivity: a source of variance in the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognition?. Neuropsychologia. 2010; 48(5):1394-406. PMC: 3708614. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.01.005. View

Freels S, Cohen D, Eisdorfer C, Paveza G, Gorelick P, Luchins D . Functional status and clinical findings in patients with Alzheimer's disease. J Gerontol. 1992; 47(6):M177-82. DOI: 10.1093/geronj/47.6.m177. View

Ross T . The reliability of cluster and switch scores for the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2003; 18(2):153-64. View

Doraiswamy P, Kaiser L, Bieber F, Garman R . The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale: evaluation of psychometric properties and patterns of cognitive decline in multicenter clinical trials of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2001; 15(4):174-83. DOI: 10.1097/00002093-200110000-00003. View

Dhanjal N, Wise R . Frontoparietal cognitive control of verbal memory recall in Alzheimer's disease. Ann Neurol. 2014; 76(2):241-51. DOI: 10.1002/ana.24199. View

10.

Colcombe S, Kramer A . Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: a meta-analytic study. Psychol Sci. 2003; 14(2):125-30. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9280.t01-1-01430. View

11.

Yu F . Improving recruitment, retention, and adherence to 6-month cycling in Alzheimer's disease. Geriatr Nurs. 2013; 34(3):181-6. PMC: 5679113. DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2012.12.014. View

12.

Angevaren M, Aufdemkampe G, Verhaar H, Aleman A, Vanhees L . Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008; (2):CD005381. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005381.pub2. View

13.

Voss M, Prakash R, Erickson K, Basak C, Chaddock L, Kim J . Plasticity of brain networks in a randomized intervention trial of exercise training in older adults. Front Aging Neurosci. 2010; 2. PMC: 2947936. DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2010.00032. View

14.

Yu F . Guiding research and practice: a conceptual model for aerobic exercise training in Alzheimer's disease. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2011; 26(3):184-94. PMC: 5898238. DOI: 10.1177/1533317511402317. View

15.

Forbes D, Forbes S, Morgan D, Markle-Reid M, Wood J, Culum I . Physical activity programs for persons with dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008; (3):CD006489. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006489.pub2. View

16.

Wayne P, Walsh J, Taylor-Piliae R, Wells R, Papp K, Donovan N . Effect of tai chi on cognitive performance in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014; 62(1):25-39. PMC: 4055508. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.12611. View

17.

Cotman C, Berchtold N . Physical activity and the maintenance of cognition: learning from animal models. Alzheimers Dement. 2009; 3(2 Suppl):S30-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2007.01.013. View

18.

Chen T, Chen Y, Cheng T, Hua M, Liu H, Chiu M . Executive dysfunction and periventricular diffusion tensor changes in amnesic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. Hum Brain Mapp. 2009; 30(11):3826-36. PMC: 6870697. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20810. View

19.

Jurado M, Rosselli M . The elusive nature of executive functions: a review of our current understanding. Neuropsychol Rev. 2007; 17(3):213-33. DOI: 10.1007/s11065-007-9040-z. View

20.

Godefroy O, Martinaud O, Verny M, Mosca C, Lenoir H, Bretault E . The dysexecutive syndrome of Alzheimer's disease: the GREFEX study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2014; 42(4):1203-8. DOI: 10.3233/JAD-140585. View