Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | [b] Department of Physical Therapy for Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty for Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Foad Abd-Allah, MD. Address: Neurovascular Unit, Department of Neurology, Cairo University, Al-Manial, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
Tel.: +20 1110110898; E-mail: foad.abdallah@kasralainy.edu.eg
Abstract: Background:Stroke is a leading cause of functional impairments. High percentage of these patients will experience some degree of cognitive affection, ranging from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Objective:Demonstrate the role of aerobic exercises enhancing cognitive functions and its effect on Brain Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in post-ischemic stroke patients in the territory of anterior circulation. Subjects and methods:We included thirty Egyptian ischemic stroke patients in the territory of anterior circulation. They were divided into 2 groups; group 1 (G1) were subjected to physiotherapy program without aerobic exercises and group 2 (G2) were subjected to the same previous program followed by aerobic exercises. Both groups were subjected to pre- and post-treatment Addenbrookes's Cognitive Examination- Revised (ACER) and serum level of BDNF. Results:Our results showed a significant improvement in ACER score in G2 compared to G1 post-treatment (p = 0.017). BDNF serum level significantly increased in G2 post-treatment compared to pre-treatment (p = 0.001) and compared to G1 group (p = 0.0458). ACER improvement was positively correlated to increase in serum level of BDNF (r = 0.53, p = 0.044). Conclusion:Aerobic exercises improve cognitive functions of ischemic stroke patients. This improvement is related to the increase in serum level of BDNF.
