Effect of a Walking Intervention on Cognitive Function in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Knowledge Translation to Practice Pilot Project
Abstract
Background: Many studies suggest physical activity reduces risk of dementia and improves global cognitive function in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Using commercial wearable technology to measure daily steps is feasible in this population.
Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to explore whether 12 weeks of increased physical activity improved cognitive function in individuals with MCI. A wearable activity tracker was used to measure participants' daily steps as a quantifiable measure of daily activity level.
Design: This was a one-group pretest-posttest study.
Setting: Established memory clinic patients within a neurology department in Northern California during 2019.
Participants: 17 enrolled and 14 included for data analysis. There were 7 females and 7 males whose mean age was 76.21 (SD 2.69). 12 participants were White, which reflected the clinic population.
Intervention: Participants were asked to wear an activity tracker for approximately 12 hours a day for 12 weeks and to increase their physical activity as much as possible. They were provided twice a month telephone support.
Measurements: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to measure pretest-posttest cognitive function. Timed Up and Go (TUG) was used to assess fall risk at enrollment. Cumulative step count for the study period was measured with an activity tracker.
Conditions: Cognitive Impairment, Mild.
Primary outcome: Whether increasing the number of daily steps among…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a clinical trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 17 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Diarylethenes for Memories and Switches
- Long-Term Potentiation and Memory
- Social Memory Studies: From “Collective Memory” to the Historical Sociology of Mnemonic Practices
- The Cognitive Neuroscience of Working Memory
- Memory aging and brain maintenance
- Effector and Memory CTL Differentiation
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.