ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Clinical evidence gathered in recent years indicates that elderly individuals more frequently display cognitive changes. These age-related changes refer, above all, to memory functions and to the speed of thinking and reasoning. A number of studies have shown that physical activity can be used as an important mechanism for protecting the cognitive functions. AIM: To test the hypothesis that physical exercise is able to bring about changes in the cognitive functions of healthy elderly adults without cognitive impairment, thereby improving their quality of life. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population included participants in the University of Salamanca geriatric revitalisation programme. The sample initially consisted of a total of 44 subjects of both sexes, with a mean age of 74.93 years. The neuropsychological evaluation of the subjects included a series of validated neuropsychological tests: Mini-Mental State Examination, Benton Visual Retention Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Stroop Test and Trail Making Test. RESULTS: The results show that more physical activity is related to better performance in the cognitive functions of the subjects included in this study, after applying the geriatric revitalisation programme. CONCLUSIONS: The geriatric revitalisation programme can be a valuable tool for improving cognition in adults over 60 years of age, resulting in enhanced well-being in their quality of life.
TITLE: Efectos del ejercicio fisico moderado sobre la cognicion en adultos mayores de 60 años.Introduccion. La evidencia clinica a lo largo de estos años indica que los individuos ancianos muestran con mayor frecuencia diversos cambios cognitivos. Estos cambios asociados a la edad se refieren sobre todo a las funciones mnesicas y a la rapidez de pensamiento y razonamiento. Numerosos estudios han demostrado que la actividad fisica puede establecerse como un mecanismo importante para la proteccion de las funciones cognitivas. Objetivo. Contrastar la hipotesis de que el ejercicio fisico es capaz de producir cambios en las funciones cognitivas de adultos mayores sanos sin deterioro cognitivo, mejorando su calidad de vida. Sujetos y metodos. La poblacion de estudio fue tomada de los participantes en el programa de revitalizacion geriatrica de la Universidad de Salamanca. La muestra estaba formada en un principio por un total de 44 sujetos de ambos sexos, con una edad media de 74,93 años. Para la valoracion neuropsicologica de los sujetos se incluyo una serie de pruebas neuropsicologicas validadas: examen cognitivo minimental, test de retencion visual de Benton, aprendizaje audioverbal de Rey, test de Stroop y test del trazo. Resultados. Los resultados indican que una mayor actividad fisica se relaciona con un mejor rendimiento en las funciones cognitivas de los sujetos incluidos en este estudio, tras la aplicacion del programa de revitalizacion geriatrica. Conclusiones. El programa de revitalizacion geriatrica puede ser una herramienta util de cara a la mejoria sobre la cognicion en adultos mayores de 60 años, logrando un mejor bienestar en su calidad de vida.
Subject(s)
Cognition , Executive Function , Exercise , Healthy Aging , Memory , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cognition Disorders/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Male , Memory Disorders/prevention & control , Middle Aged , Trail Making TestABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patellar tendinopathy has a high prevalence rate among athletes. Different therapeutic options can be found in the current literature, but none of them has been clearly established as the gold standard. The purpose of this study is to compare, in a randomized controlled trial, the clinical efficacy of eccentric exercise combined with either an ultrasound-guided galvanic electrolysis technique (USGET) or conventional electrophysiotherapy to treat patellar tendinopathy. METHODS: Sixty patients diagnosed with patellar tendinopathy were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (n = 30) received electrophysiotherapy treatment consisting of ultrasound, laser and interferential current techniques. Group 2 (n = 30) received USGET. Both groups did the same standardized eccentric exercise program. Periodic assessments of the subjects were carried out with the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella (VISA-P) score. An analysis of means and a survival study were performed. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in the VISA-P between the baseline and final follow-up in each treatment group. Group 1 (conventional electrophysiotherapy) went from 52.5 ± 18.8 to 61.9 ± 13.7 (in VISA-P < 90 subgroup) and from 69.1 ± 9.1 to 95.2 ± 2.5 (in VISA-P > 90 subgroup). Group 2 (USGET) went from 51.4 ± 17.9 to 63.3 ± 14.3 (in VISA-P < 90 subgroup) and from 66.3 ± 13.1 to 97.1 ± 1.7 (in VISA-P > 90 subgroup). There were statistically significant correlations between the baseline and final score in the VISA-P > 90 subjects upon completing the study but no statistically significant correlations between subjects with VISA-P < 90. The mean number of sessions applied was 22.6 ± 2.5 in Group 1 and 3.2 ± 0.9 in Group 2. The success probability in Group 1 was 36.1% versus 72.4% in Group 2. The difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results obtained with the combination of USGET and eccentric exercise reported better outcomes than with the conventional electrophysiotherapy techniques in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy.