Multicomponent exercise interventions for older adults with Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and...

BackgroundExercise, as an adjunctive therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, is meaningful and common. However, it remains unclear whether the modality of exercise has a positive impact on elderly AD patients.ObjectiveThe exploration of how multicomponent exercise can have positive effects on older adults with AD.MethodsA detailed search was conducted across six databases, followed by independent screening to identify the final studies included in the analysis. The study was conducted following the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook.ResultsSeventeen studies were included in the final analysis. The results showed that ME effectively improved activities of daily living (ADL) [SMD = 0.46, 95% CI (0.13, 0.79)], depression [SMD = -0.32, 95% CI (-0.63, -0.01)], and balance [SMD = 0.73, 95% CI (0.32, 1.14)]. In terms of ADL, an intervention period of 12 weeks, with 3-5 sessions per week and each session lasting 30-60 min, may be more effective.ConclusionsMulticomponent exercise demonstrates statistically significant effects in improving ADL, depression, and balance in AD patients aged 60 and above. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to provide higher-level evidence.