A study on the impact of acute exercise on cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment patients: A narrative review

Geriatr Nurs. 2024 Sep-Oct:59:215-222. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.06.019. Epub 2024 Jul 24.

Abstract

This narrative review follows the JBI approach and comprehensively explores the effects and mechanisms of acute exercise on cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. The results showed that the combination of acute exercise and cognitive training improved the cognitive function of AD patients better than aerobic exercise or resistance training alone. For patients with MCI, moderate intensity acute aerobic exercise and resistance exercise were beneficial to enhance Inhibitory control (IC), but high-intensity acute exercise was adverse to improve IC; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) may assume the potential mediating mechanism of acute exercise on cognitive function in AD and MCI patients, but more research is needed to further confirm this mechanism.

Keywords: Acute exercise; Alzheimer's disease; Cognitive therapies; Mild cognitive impairment; growth factors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / psychology
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Dysfunction*
  • Exercise Therapy / methods
  • Exercise*
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Resistance Training

Substances

  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor