RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Specific dual-task (DT) training is effective to improve DT performance in trained tasks in patients with dementia (PwD). However, it remains an open research question whether successfully trained DTs show a transfer effect to untrained DT performances. OBJECTIVE: To examine transfer effects and the sustainability of a specific DT training in PwD. METHODS: One hundred and five patients with mild-to-moderate dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination: 21.9 ± 2.8 points) participated in a 10-week randomized, controlled trial. The intervention group (IG) underwent a specific DT training ("walking and counting"). The control group (CG) performed unspecific low-intensity exercise. DT performance was measured under three conditions: (1) "walking and counting" (trained); (2) "walking and verbal fluency" (semi-trained), and (3) "strength and verbal fluency" (untrained). Outcomes evaluated at baseline, after training, and 3 months after the intervention period included absolute values for the motor and cognitive performance under DT conditions, and relative DT costs (DTCs) in motor, cognitive and combined motor-cognitive performance. RESULTS: The IG significantly improved DT performances in the trained condition for absolute motor and cognitive performance and for motor, cognitive, and combined motor-cognitive DTCs compared to the CG (p ≤ 0.001-0.047; ηp2 = 0.044-0.249). Significant transfer effects were found in the semi-trained condition for absolute motor and partly cognitive performance, and for motor but not for cognitive DTCs, and only partly for combined DTCs (p ≤ 0.001-0.041; ηp2 = 0.049-0.150). No significant transfer effects were found in the untrained condition. Three months after training cessation, DT performance in the trained condition was still elevated for most of the outcomes (p ≤ 0.001-0.038; ηp2 = 0.058-0.187). Training gains in the DT performance in the semi-trained condition were, however, not sustained, and no significant group differences were found in the DT performance in the untrained condition after the follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that specific DT training is effective in improving specifically trained DT performances in PwD and demonstrated sustainability of training-induced effects for at least 3 months. Effects were partially transferable to semi-trained DTs but not to untrained DTs. With increasing distance between trained and untrained DTs, transferability of training effects decreased.
Asunto(s)
Cognición , Demencia , Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Técnicas Psicológicas , Desempeño Psicomotor , Anciano , Demencia/diagnóstico , Demencia/fisiopatología , Demencia/psicología , Demencia/rehabilitación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Pruebas de Estado Mental y Demencia , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Análisis y Desempeño de Tareas , EnseñanzaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Some studies have already suggested that exergame interventions can be effective to improve physical, cognitive, motor-cognitive, and psychological outcomes in patients with dementia (PwD). However, little is known about the training volume required to induce such positive effects and the inter-individual differences in training response among PwD. The aim of the study was to analyze the time course of changes in motor-cognitive exergame performances during a task-specific training program and to identify predictors of early training response in PwD. METHODS: Secondary analyses of data from the intervention group (IG) of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to improve motor-cognitive performances in PwD. Fifty-six geriatric patients with mild-to-moderate dementia randomized to the IG underwent a 10-week, task-specific training program (2×/week) on an exergame-based balance training system (Physiomat®), combining postural control tasks with cognitive tasks of an established neuropsychological test (Trail Making Test). Main outcome was the time required to complete different Physiomat®-Tasks (PTs) assessed at baseline (T1), training session 7 (TS7) and 14 (TS14), and post-intervention after 20 training sessions (T2). Reliable change indices were used to identify early responders from T1 to TS7. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of early training response. RESULTS: Completion time significantly improved already from T1 to TS7 in all PTs (p ≤ .001-.006), with moderate to very large effect sizes (r = .38-.52; Cohen's d = .85-1.45). For most PTs, significant progressive improvements from TS7 to TS14 and TS14 to T2 were not observed. Thirty-one (59.6%) participants were classified as early responders and 21 (40.4%) as non-early responders. Lower baseline exergame performance and lower visuospatial and divided attention abilities were independently associated with early training response. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial task-specific improvements in complex motor-cognitive exergame performances can be obtained within a surprisingly short intervention period in PwD. Our results confirm that not only an excellent training response can be achieved in this patient population, but also that more vulnerable patients with greater deficits in domain-specific cognitive functions associated with fall risk may even reap the most and fastest benefit from motor-cognitive exergame interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN37232817 (retrospectively registered on 04/02/2012).
Asunto(s)
Cognición/fisiología , Demencia/rehabilitación , Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Juegos de Video , Anciano , Atención/fisiología , Demencia/psicología , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Equilibrio Postural/fisiología , Tiempo de Reacción , Estudios Retrospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: People with dementia show disease-specific sit-to-stand (STS) movement disorders, which relate to deficits of integrating cognitive aspects of motor processes into motor action organization. During STS training in rehabilitation therapy, compensatory STS movement maneuvers are taught aiming to improve patients' STS ability. Previous clinical STS measures do not address these maneuvers or assess cognitive aspects of their motor action organization. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a motor-cognitive STS assessment instrument for people with dementia (Assessment of Compensatory Sit-to-Stand Maneuvers in People With Dementia, ACSID). METHODS: The ACSID covers the recall, initiation, and effective performance of compensatory STS movement maneuvers. The inter- and intrarater reliability, concurrent validity, sensitivity to change, and feasibility were investigated by secondary analysis of data of 97 participants from a randomized controlled trial to improve motor-cognitive performances in people with mild to moderate dementia (mean [standard deviation] age: 82.5 [5.9] years, Mini-Mental Status Examination: 21.9 [2.9] points). Concurrent validity of the individual ACSID items was assessed against reference criteria derived from video-motion analysis. RESULTS: Good to excellent inter- (kappa [κ] = 0.64-0.99; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.74-0.89) and intrarater (κ= 0.77-0.91; ICC = 0.77-0.91), concurrent validity (point-biserial correlation coefficients = |0.56|-|0.84|), and sensitivity to change (standardized response means = 0.61-1.00) were found. Feasibility was excellent with a high completion rate (96.9%), no critical events during assessment, and no floor or ceiling effects. CONCLUSIONS: The ACSID represents the first observation-based assessment instrument to document motor and cognitive aspects in the execution of a motor key feature in people with dementia, and has been shown to be reliable, valid, feasible, and sensitive to intervention-induced changes.
Asunto(s)
Cognición , Demencia/rehabilitación , Evaluación Geriátrica/métodos , Modalidades de Fisioterapia , Anciano , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Pruebas de Estado Mental y Demencia , Movimiento/fisiología , Observación , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of a computerized, game-based training on motor-cognitive performances, the transfer of training effects on untrained tasks, and the sustainability of training gains in people with dementia. METHOD: Ninety-nine individuals with a mean age of 82.9 (5.8) and dementia participated in a 10-week randomized controlled trial with three-month follow-up. The intervention group (IG) received a motor-cognitive training on (Physiomat®) including concurrent dual-tasks of balance control with cognitive demands (Physiomat®-Trail Making Tasks (PTMTs)). The control group (CG) performed non-specific, low-intensity exercises. Duration and accuracy at different complexity levels of trained and untrained PTMTs and the number of successfully performed tasks (PTMT score) were assessed. RESULTS: Physiomat® training significantly improved the duration and accuracy at almost all complexity levels of trained (P ≤ 0.001-0.047, ηp2 = 0.065-0.589) and untrained PTMTs (P < 0.001-0.005, ηp2 = 0.073-0.459). Significant effects were also found for the PTMT score of trained (P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.211) and untrained PTMTs (P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.184). Training gains were partly sustained at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Physiomat® is feasible and has the potential to sustainably improve motor-cognitive performances in people with dementia.
Asunto(s)
Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud , Equilibrio Postural/fisiología , Desempeño Psicomotor/fisiología , Terapia Asistida por Computador/métodos , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Estudios de Factibilidad , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: A complex motor skill highly relevant to mobility in everyday life (e.g., sit-to-stand [STS] transfer) has not yet been addressed in studies on motor learning in people with dementia (PwD). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a dementia-specific motor learning exercise program enables PwD to learn compensatory STS maneuvers commonly taught in geriatric rehabilitation therapy to enhance patients' STS ability. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients with mild-to-moderate dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination: 21.9±2.9 points) participated in a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 10-week intervention and 3-month follow-up period. The intervention group (IG, nâ=â51) underwent a motor learning exercise program on compensatory STS maneuvers specifically designed for PwD. The control group (CG, nâ=â46) performed a low-intensity motor placebo activity. Primary outcomes were scores of the Assessment of Compensatory Sit-to-stand Maneuvers in People with Dementia (ACSID), which covers the number of recalled and initiated, and of effectively performed compensatory STS maneuvers. Secondary outcomes included temporal and kinematic STS characteristics measured by a body-fixed motion sensor (BFS, DynaPort® Hybrid). RESULTS: The IG significantly improved in all ACSID scores compared to the CG (pâ<â0.001). Secondary analysis confirmed learning effects for all BFS-based outcomes (pâ<â0.001-0.006). Learning gains were sustained during follow-up for most outcomes. CONCLUSION: People with mild-to-moderate dementia can learn and retain compensatory STS maneuvers in response to a dementia-specific motor learning exercise program. This is the first study that demonstrated preserved motor learning abilities in PwD by using a motor skill highly relevant to everyday life.