Dementia Exercise Programs 'Don't Slow Brain Decline'

A study published in the British Medical Journal determined exercise regimens for people with mild to moderate dementia yield no benefits in terms of improving thinking skills or behavior, reports BBC News . Involved in the study were 329 people with dementia in their 70s who performed aerobic and strength exercises over four months. Their twice-weekly sessions lasted 60 to 90 minutes each, and the subjects spent at least 20 minutes on a fixed cycle and lifted weights while getting out of a chair. They were encouraged to perform these exercises at home for another hour each week. Oxford University Professor Sallie Lamb says the results demonstrated that people who had had dementia for two or three years could follow simple exercise instructions and improve their fitness and muscle strength, but there were no perceived improvements in cognitive impairment, daily living activities, behavior, or health-related quality of life. After one year, cognitive impairment had declined in both the exercise group and a non-exercising control group with dementia, but only slightly. "The message remains that exercise is good, but to start an exercise regime once the disease is well established may be of limited value," says University College London Professor Martin Rossor.