Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026
Dual-Task Stroop Paradigm for Detecting Cognitive Deficits in High-Functioning Stroke Patients
Published on: December 16, 2022
Tailored Physical Activity Patterns Reduce Poststroke Cognitive Impairment Risk and Improve Long-Term Cognitive
Yufan Pu1, Xiang Zhou1, Xuejing Li1
1Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, Jiangsu, China.
Objective:
To examine the associations of specific physical activity (PA) patterns-intensity, frequency, and duration-with the risk of poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and long-term cognitive trajectories in Chinese stroke survivors.
Design:
Observational cohort study (cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses) using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).
Setting:
Community-based nationwide survey in China (CHARLS, 2011-2020).
Participants:
Cross-sectional: 1502 stroke survivors (2011-2020); longitudinal: 170 stroke survivors with PSCI at baseline (defined by the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) and 10-year cognitive follow-up.
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
PSCI status (education-adjusted MMSE criteria) and the cognitive trajectory group over 10 years.
Results:
In the cross-sectional analysis, vigorous PA (VPA) performed 3 days/wk for 2-4 hours (odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.95; p=.034) and moderate PA (MPA) performed 6 days/wk for 10-30 minutes (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.18-0.57; p<.001) were significantly associated with a lower PSCI risk. VPA showed greater benefits in participants with hypertension, liver disease, or kidney disease, whereas MPA was more protective in older adults and those without dyslipidemia. The longitudinal analysis identified 4 distinct cognitive trajectories ("high-stable," "low-declining," "moderate high-stable," and "moderate low-declining"). MPA significantly improved cognitive function over time in patients with PSCI (p=.022).
Conclusions:
Our results strongly support regular MPA to reduce PSCI risk and preserve long-term cognitive function. The role of VPA appears promising but requires further confirmation. Thus, moderate-intensity exercise is recommended as the cornerstone of cognitive protection after stroke, with the benefits of vigorous exercise yet to be more firmly established in future studies.
