Influence of Square-stepping Exercise on Brain Activation, Cognitive Function and Physical Performance in Frail Elders With MCI

Background:

Both frailty and MCI exert negative impact on motor and cognitive function, which increase the risks of fall and adverse health condition. SSE has been proved to be an effective intervention for motor and cognitive function in older adults. However, the underlying mechanisms of SSE still remain undetermined for its possible effects. This study aims to elucidate the possible mechanisms of SSE in frail elders with MCI.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study. The inclusion criteria are: (1) age between 65 and 90 years old, (2) the presence of at least 1 characteristic of the Fried frailty criteria, (3) with mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score≧24 and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score <26 (MCI criteria), and (4) ability to walk independently for 1 min without assistive devices. The exclusion criteria are: (1) central nervous system disorders (such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury), and (2) any unstable physical condition, psychiatric disorder, and other neurological disorder or diagnosed with learning disability which may affect participating this study. Brain activity during SSE and usual walking, SSE performance, physical performance, and cognitive function are measured. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the possible mechanisms of SSE by examining brain activation differences between SSE patterns and usual walking, as well as the relationship between brain activity and SSE performance, between cognitive function and SSE performance, and between physical performance and SSE performance in frail elders with MCI.