Effects of Aerobic, Resistance, or Combined Exercise Training Among Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Makino, Taeko^{a; b} | Umegaki, Hiroyuki^c | Ando, Masahiko^d | Cheng, Xian Wu^b | Ishida, Koji^e | Akima, Hiroshi^e | Oshida, Yoshiharu^e | Yoshida, Yasuko^f | Uemura, Kazuki^g | Shimada, Hiroyuki^g | Kuzuya, Masafumi^{b; c; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Rehabilitation and Care, Seijoh University, Tokai, Aichi, Japan | [b] Institute of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | [c] Department of Community Healthcare and Geriatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | [d] Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | [e] Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | [f] Innovative Research Center for Preventive Medical Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | [g] Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Masafumi Kuzuya, Institute of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University/Department of Community Healthcare and Geriatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan. Tel.: +81 52 744 2369; Fax: +81 52 744 2371; E-mail: kuzuya@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp.

Abstract: Background:Physical exercise is suggested to be effective for preventing cognitive decline in older adults, but the relative efficacy of different types of exercise have yet to be clarified. Objective:This single-blinded randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the differential effects of aerobic exercise training (AT), resistance exercise training (RT), and combined exercise training (CT) on cognition in older adults with subjective memory complaints (SMC). Methods:Community-dwelling older adults with SMC (n = 415; mean age = 72.3 years old) were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: AT, RT, CT, or control group. The study consisted of two phases: a 26-week intervention and a 26-week follow-up. The participants were evaluated at baseline, 26 weeks (postintervention), and 52 weeks (follow-up). The primary outcome of this study was memory function, which was assessed using the Logical Memory II subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) score. The secondary outcomes included global cognitive function, verbal fluency, working memory, processing speed, and executive functions. Results:Intention-to-treat analysis by a mixed-effect model repeated measure showed that the AT group had significantly improved performance on the WMS-R Logical Memory II test (2.74 [1.82–3.66] points) than the control group (1.36 [0.44–2.28] points) at the postintervention assessment (p = 0.037). The effect was more pronounced in those without amnesia than those with amnesia. No significant improvement was observed in the RT and CT groups. Conclusion:This study suggests that AT intervention can improve delayed memory in community-dwelling older adults, particularly in individuals without objective memory decline.

Keywords: Amnesia, cognition, cognitive dysfunction, executive function, exercise, memory, physical activity, randomized controlled trial, resistance training, wechsler memory scale

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-210047

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 82, no. 2, pp. 701-717, 2021