Physical Activity in Severe Dementia Is Associated With Agitation Rather Than Cognitive Function

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Dementia significantly impacts cognitive function, daily living, and behavior.
• Understanding factors influencing dementia progression and symptoms is crucial for care.
• Behavioral and psychological dementia symptoms (BPSD) are common and distressing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between physical activity and cognitive function.
• To examine the association between physical activity and BPSD in individuals with severe and moderate dementia.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Participants categorized into severe and moderate dementia groups using the Clinical Dementia Rating.
• Physical activity measured via actigraphy; cognitive function assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination and Cognitive Test for Severe Dementia.
• Activities of daily living and BPSD evaluated using the Hyogo Activities of Daily Living Scale and Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home.

Main Results:

• No significant association found between physical activity and cognitive function in severe dementia.
• A trend-level association between physical activity and cognitive function was observed in moderate dementia.
• Physical activity significantly correlated with BPSD, particularly agitation/aggression, in severe dementia.
• A trend-level association between physical activity and anxiety was noted in moderate dementia.

Conclusions:

• Physical activity is associated with reduced BPSD in advanced dementia stages.
• Interventions promoting physical activity may help manage behavioral symptoms in severe dementia.