TY - JOUR
T1 - A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of physical activity in people with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment with a comparison to donepezil
AU - Pisani, Sara
AU - Mueller, Christoph
AU - Huntley, Jonathan
AU - Aarsland, Dag
AU - Kempton, Matthew J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr Kempton was funded by an MRC Career Development Fellowship [grant MR/J008915/1].
Funding Information:
Dr Kempton has previously been funded for a research project by the BAT (Bounce Alzheimer's therapy) foundation which promotes table tennis for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Prof D. Aarsland has received research support and/or honoraria from Astra‐Zeneca, H. Lundbeck, Novartis Pharmaceuticals and GE Healthcare and serves as paid consultant for H. Lundbeck, Eisai and Axovant. None for J. Huntley and C. Mueller. C. Mueller receives salary support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Objectives: Physical exercise may benefit people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise have shown conflicting findings and it is unclear if positive outcomes are comparable to a commonly used cholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil. Methods: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, SCOPUS were searched for RCTs of physical activity compared to a control condition, and donepezil compared to placebo in people with AD and MCI. Effect sizes were calculated from pre- and post-MMSE and ADAS-Cog scores and pooled using a random effects meta-analysis. Results: Ninteen RCTs were included in the exercise meta-analysis (AD, N = 524; MCI, N = 1269). Physical exercise improved MMSE scores in AD (Hedges' g = 0.46) and MCI groups (g = 0.63). For the MCI group, exercise appeared to have a stronger effect for those with lower MMSE scores at baseline (p = 0.022). 18 RCTs were included in the donepezil meta-analysis (AD, N = 2984, MCI, N = 1559). In people with AD, donepezil improved cognition (MMSE g = 0.23; ADAS-Cog, g = −0.17) but there was no evidence of improved cognition in MCI. Conclusions: Physical exercise improved cognition in both AD and MCI groups. Where comparisons were possible, the effect size for physical exercise was generally comparable to donepezil. These results strengthen the evidence base for exercise as an effective intervention in AD and MCI, and future clinical trials should examine exercise type, intensity and frequency, in addition to cholinesterase inhibitors to determine the most effective interventions for AD and MCI.
AB - Objectives: Physical exercise may benefit people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise have shown conflicting findings and it is unclear if positive outcomes are comparable to a commonly used cholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil. Methods: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, SCOPUS were searched for RCTs of physical activity compared to a control condition, and donepezil compared to placebo in people with AD and MCI. Effect sizes were calculated from pre- and post-MMSE and ADAS-Cog scores and pooled using a random effects meta-analysis. Results: Ninteen RCTs were included in the exercise meta-analysis (AD, N = 524; MCI, N = 1269). Physical exercise improved MMSE scores in AD (Hedges' g = 0.46) and MCI groups (g = 0.63). For the MCI group, exercise appeared to have a stronger effect for those with lower MMSE scores at baseline (p = 0.022). 18 RCTs were included in the donepezil meta-analysis (AD, N = 2984, MCI, N = 1559). In people with AD, donepezil improved cognition (MMSE g = 0.23; ADAS-Cog, g = −0.17) but there was no evidence of improved cognition in MCI. Conclusions: Physical exercise improved cognition in both AD and MCI groups. Where comparisons were possible, the effect size for physical exercise was generally comparable to donepezil. These results strengthen the evidence base for exercise as an effective intervention in AD and MCI, and future clinical trials should examine exercise type, intensity and frequency, in addition to cholinesterase inhibitors to determine the most effective interventions for AD and MCI.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - cognition
KW - donepezil
KW - mild cognitive impairments
KW - physical activity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106336143&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/gps.5581
DO - 10.1002/gps.5581
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85106336143
SN - 0885-6230
VL - 36
SP - 1471
EP - 1487
JO - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
IS - 10
ER -