Development of a Combined Exercise and Cognitive Stimulation Intervention for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment-Designing the MEMO_MOVE PROGRAM

Investigation into the vascular contributors to dementia and the associated treatments

As the average lifespan has increased, memory disorders have become a more pressing public health concern. However, dementia in the elderly population is often neglected in light of other health priorities. Therefore, expanding the knowledge surrounding the pathology of dementia will allow more informed decision-making regarding treatment within elderly and older adult populations. An important emerging avenue in dementia research is understanding the vascular contributors to dementia. This review summarizes potential causes of vascular cognitive impairment like stroke, microinfarction, hypertension, atherosclerosis, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Also, this review address treatments that target these vascular impairments that also show promising results in reducing patient's risk for and experience of dementia.

Physical activity interventions in older adults with a cognitive impairment: A critical review of reviews

This critical review explores the review material on physical activity combined with cognitive stimulation interventions in older adults with cognitive impairment and/or dementia. A critical, systematic, review of the review method was used, considering four electronic databases: WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and the COCHRANE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY. The search terms "exercise," "physical activity," "cognitive impairment," "dementia," and "systematic review" were used. All available reviews were marked against predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were 32 reviews that met the inclusion criteria. A combination of various types of training and aerobic exercises were the most frequently reported interventions; meanwhile, dual task training programs (combining physical exercise with cognitive stimulation), functional training programs along with exercises combination, aerobic exercise as well as strength, stretching, or balance workouts were also reported. The evidence is compelling; exercise can improve physical health by ensuring cognitive, psychological, and behavioral benefits. Overall, exercise can improve the physical and mental health of people living with dementia: there is sufficient evidence to recommend multimodal exercise.

Relationship Between Physical Exercise and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Chain Mediating Roles of Sleep Quality and Depression

Objective

Although physical exercise has been shown to boost physical, psychological, and psychiatric conditions in older adults, there is a relative lack of research on the mechanisms involved in this process for older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We thus evaluated whether sleep quality and depression mediated the relationship between physical exercise and cognitive impairment in older adults with T2DM by focusing on the exercise-physiology-psychology and psychiatry connection.

Methods

Self-reported data were collected from 2646 older adults with T2DM in Weifang, Shandong, China. Regression and bootstrap analyses were conducted to explore the chain mediator model including physical exercise, cognitive impairment, sleep quality, and depression.

Results

Engaging in physical exercise (coefficient = -0.6858, p < 0.001), high levels of sleep quality (coefficient = -0.3397, p = 0.015), and low levels of depression (coefficient = 0.3866, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a low level of cognitive impairment. Sleep quality and depression mediated the chain effect between physical exercise and cognitive impairment (total effect = -1.0732, 95% CI [-1.3652, -0.7862]; direct effect = -0.6858, 95% CI [-0.9702, -0.3974]; indirect effect = -0.3875, 95% CI [-0.5369, -0.2521]).

Conclusion

Physical exercise may improve sleep quality in older adults with T2DM, alleviating depression and delaying the development of cognitive impairment. Physical exercise can enhance patients' ability to resist depression and cognitive impairment, and creating comfortable sleep environments can also reinforce the effects of this process. These findings have important implications for promoting healthy aging in older adults with T2DM.