Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30611286›Full record

Trial reportAlzheimer's research & therapy2019

The quest for synergy between physical exercise and cognitive stimulation via exergaming in people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

Esther G A Karssemeijer, Justine A Aaronson, Willem J R Bossers, Rogier Donders, Marcel G M Olde Rikkert, Roy P C Kessels

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 59 papers, 17 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
59citing papers in PubMed, 17 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

59 citing papers in PubMed, 17 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  9. Combinations of physical and cognitive training for subcortical neurodegenerative diseases with physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms: a systematic review.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024
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  10. Exergaming for dementia and mild cognitive impairment.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024
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  18. A pilot study on the feasibility and initial outcomes of a telerehabilitation system for balance and cognitive training in older adults.Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Esther G A KarssemeijerRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Justine A AaronsonRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Medical Psychology, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Willem J R BossersBeweegStrateeg, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Rogier DondersRadboud University Medical Center, Department for Health Evidence, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Marcel G M Olde RikkertRadboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Roy P C KesselsRadboud University Medical Center, Radboudumc Alzheimer Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Roy.Kessels@Radboudumc.nl.

Funding

ZonMw 733050303
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExercise is often proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention to delay cognitive decline in people with dementia, but evidence remains inconclusive. Previous studies suggest that combining physical exercise with cognitive stimulation may be more successful in this respect. Exergaming is a promising intervention in which physical exercise is combined with cognitively challenging tasks in a single session. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exergame training and aerobic training on cognitive functioning in older adults with dementia.

methodsA three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared exergame training, aerobic training and an active control intervention consisting of relaxation and flexibility exercises. Individuals with dementia were randomized and individually trained three times a week during 12 weeks. Cognitive functioning was measured at baseline, after the 12-week intervention period and at 24-week follow-up by neuropsychological assessment. The domains of executive function, episodic memory, working memory and psychomotor speed were evaluated. Test scores were converted into standardized z-scores that were averaged per domain. Between-group differences were analysed with analysis of covariance.

resultsData from 115 people with dementia (mean (SD) age = 79.2 (6.9) years; mean (SD) MMSE score = 22.9 (3.4)) were analysed. There was a significant improvement in psychomotor speed in the aerobic and exergame groups compared to the active control group (mean difference domain score (95% CI) aerobic versus control 0.370 (0.103-0.637), p = 0.007; exergame versus control 0.326 (0.081-0.571), p = 0.009). The effect size was moderate (partial η

conclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first RCT evaluating the effects of exergame training and aerobic training on cognitive functioning in people with dementia. We found that both exergame training and aerobic training improve psychomotor speed, compared to an active control group. This finding may be clinically relevant as psychomotor speed is an important predictor for functional decline. No effects were found on executive function, episodic memory and working memory.

trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register, NTR5581 . Registered on 7 October 2015.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overCognitionDementiaExerciseExercise TestFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleNeuropsychological TestsVideo GamesAlzheimer diseaseCognitionCognitive stimulationDementiaExerciseExergameNeuropsychologicalPhysical activityRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID30611286
PMCPMC6320611

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.