Impact of exercising alone and exercising with others on the risk of cognitive impairment among older Japanese adults

Taiso practice and risk of functional disability and dementia among older adults in Japan: The JAGES cohort study

Background

Taiso is a Japanese term encompassing meanings akin to calisthenics. Taiso is a widely used exercise program in Japan but whether it prevents functional disability and dementia remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the association between practicing Taiso, especially focusing on the well-known Radio-Taiso, and functional disability and dementia in older adults in Japan.

Methods

This population-based prospective cohort study used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). The participants were 18,016 people aged 65 years or older who resided in 19 municipalities in Japan and were not certified as needing long-term care at the start of follow-up. The outcomes were all functional disability, moderate-to-severe functional disability, and dementia, during an average of 5.3 years of follow-up. Four groups were created based on type of Taiso practice (None, Radio-Taiso only, Other Taiso only, or Both). The Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, equivalized income, educational attainment, household composition, employment status, diseases requiring treatment, activities of daily living, depression, cognitive impairment, and walking duration.

Results

The analysis included data from 11,219 individuals. The mean age of respondents was 74.2 years and 46.3% were men. Compared with the no-practice group, the Other Taiso only group showed a notably decreased risk of all functional disability (hazard ratio [95% CI] 0.87 [0.78-0.96]). The Other Taiso only group was associated with a significant reduction in the hazard ratio for moderate-to-severe functional disability (0.81 [0.70-0.93]). Decreases in the hazard ratio for dementia were also observed in the Radio-Taiso only (0.82 [0.68-0.9998]) and Other Taiso only groups (0.81 [0.70-0.93]).

Conclusions

Practicing Taiso, including Radio-Taiso, may reduce the risk of dementia in older adults, while practicing other types of Taiso may reduce the risk of functional disability.

The Best of Two Worlds to Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging: Definition and Classification Approach of Hybrid Physical Training Interventions

A healthy lifestyle can be an important prerequisite to prevent or at least delay the onset of dementia. However, the large number of physically inactive adults underscores the need for developing and evaluating intervention approaches aimed at improving adherence to a physically active lifestyle. In this regard, hybrid physical training, which usually combines center- and home-based physical exercise sessions and has proven successful in rehabilitative settings, could offer a promising approach to preserving cognitive health in the aging population. Despite its potential, research in this area is limited as hybrid physical training interventions have been underused in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Furthermore, the absence of a universally accepted definition or a classification framework for hybrid physical training interventions poses a challenge to future progress in this direction. To address this gap, this article informs the reader about hybrid physical training by providing a definition and classification approach of different types, discussing their specific advantages and disadvantages, and offering recommendations for future research. Specifically, we focus on applying digital technologies to deliver home-based exercises, as their use holds significant potential for reaching underserved and marginalized groups, such as older adults with mobility impairments living in rural areas.

Integrating Lifestyle Factor Science into Neuropsychological Practice: A National Academy of Neuropsychology Education Paper

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this paper is to review evidence and clinical implications related to lifestyle activities associated with promoting brain and cognitive health. Our review targets four key lifestyle factors: physical activity and exercise, social engagement, cognitively stimulating activity, and consuming Mediterranean-style diets.

METHOD

We conducted a critical review of the lifestyle factor literature in the four domains listed earlier. We contextualize this literature review by translating findings, when possible, into evidence-based recommendations to consider when providing neuropsychological services.

RESULTS

There is significant current evidence supporting the role of physical activity and exercise, social engagement, cognitively stimulating activity, and consuming Mediterranean-style diets on positive brain and cognitive health outcomes. While some null findings are present in all four areas reviewed, the weight of the evidence supports the notion that engaging in these activities may promote brain and cognitive functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical neuropsychologists can have confidence in recommending engagement in physical activity, social activity, and cognitively stimulating activity, and adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet to promote brain and cognitive health. We discuss limitations in existing lifestyle factor research and future directions to enhance the existing evidence base, including additional research with historically underrepresented groups and individuals with neurological conditions.