Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in older adults with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), according to findings from a randomized controlled trial published recently in Neurology. 70 participants with mild VCI were assigned to thrice-weekly aerobic exercise and usual care including patient education, or usual care only. At 6 months, cognitive function scale score and diastolic blood pressure — a key risk factor for VCI — were improved in the exercise group; however, 6 months after the intervention ended, no significant difference was observed between the exercise and control groups, suggesting that long-term intervention is needed for a lasting benefit.
References
Liu-Ambrose, T. et al. Aerobic exercise and vascular cognitive impairment. Neurology http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003332 (2016)
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Malkki, H. Exercise alleviates vascular cognitive impairment. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 679 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.177
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.177