Randomized Controlled Trial of Social Ballroom Dancing and Treadmill Walking: Preliminary Findings on Executive Function and Neuroplasticity From Dementia-at-Risk Older Adults.

This randomized controlled trial (NCT03475316) examined the relative efficacy of 6 months of social ballroom dancing and treadmill walking on a composite executive function score, generated from digit symbol substitution test, flanker interference, and walking while talking tasks. Brain activation during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) versions of these executive function tasks were secondary outcomes. Twenty-five dementia-at-risk older adults (memory impairment screen score of ≥3 to ≤6 and/or an Alzheimer's disease-8 Dementia Screening Interview of ≥1) were randomized in June 2019 to March 2020-16 completed the intervention before study termination due to the COVID-19 (eight in each group). Composite executive function scores improved post-intervention in both groups, but there was no evidence for between-group differences. Social dancing, however, generated greater improvements on digit symbol substitution test than treadmill walking. No intervention-related differences were observed in brain activation-although less hippocampal atrophy (tertiary) was observed following social dancing than treadmill walking. These preliminary findings are promising but need to be confirmed in future large-scale and sufficiently powered randomized controlled trials.

The 5-Cog paradigm to improve detection of cognitive impairment and dementia: clinical trial protocol.

Cognitive impairment related to dementia is under-diagnosed in primary care despite availability of numerous cognitive assessment tools; under-diagnosis is more prevalent for members of racial and ethnic minority groups. Clinical decision-support systems may improve rates of primary care providers responding to positive cognitive assessments with appropriate follow-up. The 5-Cog study is a randomized controlled trial in 1200 predominantly Black and Hispanic older adults from an urban underserved community who are presenting to primary care with cognitive concerns. The study will validate a novel 5-minute cognitive assessment coupled with an electronic medical record-embedded decision tree to overcome the barriers of current cognitive assessment paradigms in primary care and facilitate improved dementia care.

Dementia is common, though under-recognized, in older adults (OAs). Primary care providers (PCPs) miss opportunities to help patients and their families manage the disease because of failure to, or delay to, make an appropriate diagnosis. Black and Hispanic OAs are more likely than White OAs to experience delayed diagnosis. Most available memory tests are too long for practical use by PCPs, and are ill suited to patients of diverse language, cultural and educational backgrounds. Studies have shown that even when patients test positive for dementia in primary care, PCPs often do not take follow-up action. Our improved memory test, the 5-Cog, is brief (5 min), not biased by language issues (uses pictures and symbols instead of words), and simple (doesn't require expensive technology and complex staff training). The 5-Cog is paired with a clinical decision support tool, providing tailored recommendations directly into the patient's medical record, and making it easier for PCPs to take appropriate action. This study will evaluate whether the 5-Cog paradigm results in improved dementia care.

Rehabilitation and In-Hospital Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) guidelines endorse early rehabilitation to improve outcomes in hospitalized patients, but the evidence base to support this recommendation is lacking. We examined the association between early rehabilitation and in-hospital deaths in COVID-19 patients. METHOD: A single-center retrospective study, involving 990 COVID-19 patients (42.4% women, mean age 67.8 years) admitted between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020 to a community hospital, was conducted. Association of rehabilitation during hospitalization with in-hospital mortality was examined using logistic regression analysis adjusted for demographics, length of stay, body mass index, comorbid illnesses, functional status as well as for COVID-19 presentations, treatments, and complications. RESULTS: Over the 3-month study period, 475 (48.0%) inpatients were referred for rehabilitation. Patients who received rehabilitation were older (73.7 ± 14.0 vs 62.3 ± 17.2). There were 61 hospital deaths (12.8%) in the rehabilitation group and 165 (32.0%) in the nonrehabilitation group. Receiving rehabilitation was associated with an 89% lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06-0.19) after adjusting for multiple confounders and COVID-19 disease markers. In sensitivity analyses, the results were significant in subpopulations defined by age group, sex, race, length of hospitalization, or pulmonary presentations. Each additional rehabilitation session was associated with a 29% lower risk of in-hospital mortality (OR per session: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.64-0.79) in the fully adjusted model. CONCLUSION: Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, receiving early rehabilitation was associated with lower in-hospital mortality. Our findings support implementation of rehabilitation services for COVID-19 patients in acute care settings, but further research from randomized clinical trials is needed.

Computerised cognitive remediation to enhance mobility in older adults: a single-blind, single-centre, randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Decline in executive functions and related cognitive processes is associated with mobility decline, and these functions might be amenable to cognitive remediation. This study aimed to examine whether a computerised cognitive remediation programme would improve walking in adults aged 70 years and older. METHODS: This single-blind, randomised trial at one academic centre in the USA evaluated the efficacy of an 8-week computerised programme (also known as brain games) of progressive intensity and complexity to improve walking in older adults at high-risk for mobility disability. Inclusion criteria included being 70 years or older; ambulatory; and at high-risk for mobility disability, defined using a cutscore of nine or less (frail range) on the Short Physical Performance Battery and a walking speed of 100 cm/s or less. Individuals with dementia, acute or terminal medical illnesses, recent or planned surgery affecting mobility, mobility limitations solely due to musculoskeletal limitation or pain that prevented them from completing mobility tests, and those who were nursing home residents were excluded. Participants were block randomised (1:1; block size 12 and no stratification) to the intervention group or the control group (low complexity computer games and health education classes). Primary outcomes were change in walking speed at normal pace and walking while talking conditions assessed from baseline to 8 weeks post-intervention by investigators who were masked to group assignment. Groups were compared using the intention-to-treat principle with linear mixed models adjusted for confounders. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrails.gov, NCT02567227. FINDINGS: Between March 1, 2016, and March 12, 2020, 383 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. After randomisation, 11 (3%) patients were diagnosed with dementia. 372 (97%; 271 [73%] women) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The mean age of participants was 77·0 years [SD 5·6]). 183 (49·2%) participants were Black and 62 (16·7%) were Hispanic. 314 (93%) of the target 338 completers had finished the intervention when the trial was terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there were significant within-group improvements in both groups after the 8-week intervention, there was no significant difference in normal walking speed (-1·03 cm/s [SD 1·30]; 95% CI -3·60 to 1·54) and walking while talking conditions (0·59 cm/s [SD 1·61]; 95% CI -2·59 to 3·76) between the intervention and control groups. Similarly, within-group, but no between-group, differences were seen on executive function tests and physical function. There were no severe adverse events related to interventions. INTERPRETATION: Computerised cognitive remediation improved walking in adults aged 70 years and older at high-risk for mobility disability, but improvements were not significantly greater compared with an active control. Although our findings corroborate the within-group improvements on cognition and mobility reported in previous pilot clinical trials, future studies are required to determine the optimal dose, frequency, intensity, and content of computerised cognitive remediation programmes. FUNDING: National Institute on Aging.