Association between physical activity and conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a precursor to dementia.
• Physical activity is a potential modifiable factor for cognitive decline.
• Investigating the impact of physical activity patterns on dementia risk in MCI patients is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between the consistency and regularity of physical activity and the risk of dementia development in individuals with MCI.
• To compare dementia incidence across different physical activity engagement groups.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 6-year follow-up data from 247,149 individuals in the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) cohort (2009-2015).
• Categorization of participants into groups based on physical activity: Never-PA, Initiation-PA, Withdrawal-PA, and Maintenance-PA.
• Further classification into Irregular-PA and Regular-PA groups.

Main Results:

• The Maintenance-PA group exhibited the lowest incidence of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) (HR=0.82).
• The Initiation-PA group also showed a reduced DAT risk compared to the Never-PA group (HR=0.89).
• Regular physical activity (Regular-PA) was associated with a 15% lower risk of developing DAT compared to irregular activity (Irregular-PA).

Conclusions:

• Continued regular physical activity in MCI patients is associated with a protective effect against developing DAT.
• Ceasing physical activity may diminish or eliminate its protective benefits.
• While not establishing causality, findings suggest physical activity is a key factor in dementia prevention strategies for MCI patients.