EFFECT OF A 12-WEEK ENDURANCE EXERCISE PROGRAMME ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION, MOBILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEMENTIA

Abstract

Dementia is a syndrome characterised by progressive and usually irreversible cognitive deficits severe enough to compromise activities of daily living. Regular endurance exercise is a proven modality in preventing secondary health conditions among individuals with chronic illness, by maintaining mobility, enhancing functional ability, improving cognitive function and Quality of Life (QoL). There is however paucity of information on the effects of endurance exercises on overall health of Patients With Dementia (PWD). The effects of an Endurance Exercise Programme (EEP) on cognitive function, mobility and QoL of PWD were therefore investigated. A quasi-experimental study involving 85 consenting patients with mild to moderate dementia recruited from the dementia clinic of the Ibadan-Indianapolis Dementia Research Project, Ibadan was carried out. Participants were systematically assigned into Exercise Group (EG) and Control Group (CG). Out of the 85 (EG=37; CG=48) that started only 55 (64.7%) comprising 24 EG and 31 CG completed the study. For the duration of their participation both groups received physician-prescribed routine medication while only the EG participated in the EEP thrice weekly for 12 consecutive weeks. The EEP comprised a seven-station circuit which included shoulder-elbow-wrist joint movements, pelvis and trunk rotation, double knee-to-chest, alternate straight-leg lifting, free-cycling in the air, brisk walking and stairs climbing exercises. Cognitive function, mobility, QoL were the outcomes measured using Community Screening Instrument in Dementia (CSID), Time Up and Go (TUG) test, and Dementia Quality of Life (DQoL) respectively at baseline and at the end of the 4th, 8th and 12th weeks. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, independent ttest, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests at p=0.05. There were no significant differences between the EG and CG in age (79.7 ±6.7 vs. 77.7 ±7.0), baseline TUG scores (10.9 ±4.9 vs. 10.3 ±4.9) and CSID scores (40.6 vs. 44.8) but the CG had significantly higher baseline DQoL scores (28.1 vs.55.3). There was no significant difference between the baseline and 12th week TUG scores for the EG (10.9 ±4.9 vs.10.0 ±2.8) and CG (10.3 ±4.9 vs. 10.7 ±4.1). Within-group CSID scores comparison revealed significant difference increase in the EG and CG across 12 weeks. The DQoL in the EG showed significant increase while no significant difference was seen in the CG over 12 weeks. Post-hoc analysis showed that the difference in CSID scores for the CG was between baseline and 8th week , and 4th and 8th weeks; while significantly different pairs in DQoL for the EG was between the baseline and 4th week, baseline and 12th week, and 4th and 12th weeks. The 12th week comparison showed no significant difference in the CSID, TUG, and DQoL scores between the two groups. Twelve weeks of endurance exercise programme improved cognitive function and quality of life of patients with mild to moderate dementia. Endurance exercise programme is beneficial and therefore recommended for this group of patients.