Do exercise interventions improve functional mobility and balance in Alzheimer's patients? A systematic review

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a form of dementia defined as a degenerative neurological condition associated with cognitive and functional decline above the natural and irreversible structural changes in body tissues caused by ageing. AD is the most common form of cognitive impairment in the population over 65 years old, also associated with poor functional mobility (FM) and balance, which can lead to falls in elderly populations.

This systematic review, conducted according to the PRISMA and PROSPERO guidelines, assesses the effectiveness of various physical exercise interventions in improving functional mobility, balance and reducing the risk of falls in patients with Alzheimer's older than 65 years. A search has been conducted in PubMed, PEDro and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant Randomized Controlled Trial studies. Only studies published in English focusing on Exercise, Exercise Intervention, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Disease, Functional Mobility, Mobility, Risk of Falling, Balance, Over 65, and combinations were included. The Cochrane RoB2 tool was used to assess the quality of the identified RCTs. Seven out of 5432 studies were included in the analysis.

A moderate level of evidence suggests that interventions involving strength exercises, FM and balance are effective in improving mobility and balance in older Alzheimer's patients. Limited evidence indicates that this type of activity could also reduce the risk of falls.

Further recommendations concerning exercises, including walking activities, and suggestions for future studies on more comprehensive AD cohorts were discussed.