Abstract
Two motor-cognitive interventions were implemented to evaluate their efficacy in cognitive improvement in Mexican older adults 65 years and more. The intervention group received a dance video games plus a cognitive task (dual-task); the comparison group received only the dance video game, in sessions of 45 minutes, 3 times a week, for 12 weeks. The Barthel Index and Lawton and Brody Index, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised were applied the Digit Span Test, the Stroop Test, and Color Trail Making. Gait parameters were assessed by GAITRite? electronic walkway (CIR Systems). The design was quasi-experimental. Sites were randomly assigned to intervention groups. The intervention group started with 32 participants and finished with 15; the comparison group started with 20 participants and finished with 18. Participants in the intervention group had to mimic the dance movement of a video game and, after the second week to name progressively three objects without stopping dancing. A multivariate repeated measures model (MANO-VA) was fit with four variables. A time-by-group interaction was observed in the Stroop test, and Digits Span Backwards was in favor of the dual task group. The Stroop test, Digit Span Backwards, gait speed, and step length showed effect time. Both groups improved in gait speed and step length by the end of the intervention. Results show it is feasible for Mexican older adults with little schooling to perform dual tasks and improve cognitive tasks and gait speed. Limitations were high attrition due to unforeseen situations and small sample size.
Highlights
According to the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion [National Survey on Health and Nutrition] [1], the cognitive decline that occurs as age increases affects 7.3% of Mexican older adults: 6.3% of men and 8.3% of women
Older adults who met the following criteria: oriented on time, space, and person; who had not participated in physical exercise programs within the last three months; and who planned to remain in the city for the 12 weeks were admitted to the intervention groups
If they were capable of walking without assistance, and capable of distinguishing the movements on the screen, capable of hearing the interviewer’s voice, and free of medical contraindications to performing exercise according to the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
Summary
According to the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion [National Survey on Health and Nutrition] [1], the cognitive decline that occurs as age increases affects 7.3% of Mexican older adults: 6.3% of men and 8.3% of women. Cognitive decline that affects quality of life of older adults and their families is directly associated to functional decline, which implies greater use of health services related to fractures, related to falls, and other adverse effects. The research interest in improving the cognitive capacity in older adults has led to development of training programs focused on increasing their cognitive capacity; such programs have been found to be very useful for improving their quality of life [3]. According to Gates and Valenzuela [4], several studies have focused on improving the cognitive abilities in older adults, concentrating on different types of interventions: motor, memory or reasoning, and dual-task interventions. There are knowledge gaps with respect to the effect of interventions using video games plus dual tasks on improving cognitive abilities in older adults. The aim of the study was to test a cognitive-motor intervention with an additional cognitive task (dual-task) versus a simple motor-cognitive intervention on the cognition of older adults
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