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Cited by 243Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchPhysical Activity and HealthCognitive Functions and Memory

Physical exercise attenuates cognitive decline and reduces behavioural problems in people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review

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Law, Chun-Kit, Lam, Freddy MH, Chung, Raymond CK, Pang, Marco YC·2020·Journal of Physiotherapy
DOI 10.1016/j.jphys.2019.11.014
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Abstract

What is the effect of physical exercise on cognitive decline and behavioural problems in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia? What is the effect of physical exercise on particular domains of cognitive function? How do training protocols and patients' characteristics influence the outcomes? Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. People with MCI or dementia as their primary diagnosis. Physical exercise. Cognitive function including global cognition, memory, executive function, reasoning, attention, language, and behavioural problems. Forty-six trials involving 5099 participants were included in this review. Meta-analysis of the data estimated that aerobic exercise reduced the decline in global cognition, with a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 0.44, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.61, I2 = 69%. For individual cognitive functions, meta-analysis estimated that exercise lessened working memory decline (SMD 0.28, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.52, I2 = 40%). The estimated mean effect on reducing the decline in language function was favourable (SMD 0.17), but this estimate had substantial uncertainty (95% CI –0.03 to 0.36, I2 = 67%). The effects of exercise on other cognitive functions were unclear. Exercise also reduced behavioural problems (SMD 0.36, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.64, I2 = 81%). Physical exercise can reduce global cognitive decline and lessen behavioural problems in people with MCI or dementia. Its benefits on cognitive function can be primarily attributed to its effects on working memory. Aerobic exercise at moderate intensity or above and a total training duration of > 24 hours can lead to a more pronounced effect on global cognition.

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  • Participation in regular physical activity is beneficial for cognition, with an inverse relationship between level of physical activity and likelihood of cognitive decline and dementia.

    “Participation in regular physical activity is known to be beneficial for cognition where an inverse relationship exists between the level of physical activity and the likelihood of cognitive decline and dementia.14,15”

    From Influence of habitual physical activity on cognitive performance of healthy young adults after passive heat exposure (2026) · cites this paper as [15]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Law, C.-K., Lam, F. M., Chung, R. C., & Pang, M. Y.
Affiliations
Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
Corresponding author
Pang, Marco YC
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Physiotherapy
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-01
Volume
66
Issue
1
Pages
9-18
ISSN
1836-9553 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jphys.2019.11.014
OpenAlex
W2995990008
Cited by
243
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 30 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 11
FWCI
3.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of physiotherapy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PolyU Institutional Research Archive (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Keywords
physical activity, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, cognitive decline, behavioral problems, aerobic exercise, working memory, global cognition, executive function, language functions, exercise training protocols
MeSH terms
Problem Behavior, Dementia, Exercise Therapy, Humans, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Cognitive Dysfunction

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