Testing a modified perceived exertion scale for Alzheimer's disease

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Standardized exercise intensity monitoring is crucial for Alzheimer's disease (AD) research.
• Current methods require validation for use in older adults with AD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the concurrent validity of a modified 1-10 Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale against heart rate (HR).
• To evaluate the RPE scale's utility in prescribing and monitoring exercise intensity in individuals with mild-to-moderate AD.

Main Methods:

• Concurrent validity was examined using Pearson and Spearman correlations and mixed models.
• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) were recorded every 5 minutes during exercise sessions.
• Data from 8 older adults (age 77-87) with mild-to-moderate AD were analyzed (3,988 data pairs).

Main Results:

• A weak correlation was found between RPE and HR (r = -0.11) and RPE and change in HR from resting (r = -0.31).
• RPE explained minimal variance in heart rate measures (4.0% overall, 5.3% within participant, 6.7% within session).
• Significant between-individual variability was observed, indicating poor reliability.

Conclusions:

• The modified 1-10 RPE scale demonstrated insufficient concurrent validity with HR in older adults with mild-to-moderate AD.
• The findings suggest limitations in using this RPE scale for precise exercise intensity management in AD research.
• Further research is needed to establish reliable exercise monitoring tools for this population.