Abstract:
The incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia is on the rise due to
an ageing population, and there is currently a lack of pharmacological prospects in
mitigating this risk. As a result of this, physical activity has been identified as a potential
preventative and intervention measure for delaying or preventing cognitive impairment. This
meta-analysis aims to explore the effect of high-intensity exercise and low- to moderateintensity
exercise on cognition for older adults with a diagnosis of either MCI or dementia. A
number of different online databases were searched, and 18 studies were identified as
meeting all of the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. Results indicated that exercise
significantly improves cognitive ability for older adults with cognitive impairment. Highintensity
exercise did not have a significant effect on cognition, and higher frequency of
high-intensity exercise led to poorer cognitive performance. Low- to moderate-intensity
exercise did have a significant effect on cognition, and longer durations at this level of
intensity leads to bePer cognitive outcomes. The results of the subgroup analyses indicates
that the effect of exercise differs depending on the length of the intervention with shortterm
interventions eliciting significant cognitive benefits but long-term interventions not
having an effect. A diagnosis of MCI also leads to exercise having a larger effect than a
diagnosis of dementia. This meta-analysis provides information that can help to inform best
practice and further our understanding of what intensity of exercise elicits greater cognitive
benefits for this population.
