Effect of Simultaneous Dual-Task Training on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Older Adults with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Background: No previous study has examined the effect of dual-task training using changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) as an outcome.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of simultaneous dual-task training of exercise and cognitive tasks on rCBF using SPECT in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Methods: In this non-randomized control trial, 40 older adults with aMCI participated from May 2016 to April 2018. Outpatients in the intervention group (n = 22) underwent 24 sessions (12 months) of dualtask training twice a month for 60 mins per session. Participants in the control group (n = 18) continued to have regular outpatient visits. The primary outcome was rCBF at baseline and after 12 months, which was compared in each group using the two-sample t-test. The secondary outcomes were the rate of reversion and conversion from aMCI after 12 months.

Results: Of the 22 participants in the intervention group, six dropped out; therefore, 16 were included in the analysis. The intervention group showed more significant increases in rCBF in multiple regions, including the bilateral frontal lobes, compared with the control group. However, the rates of reversion or conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were not significantly different.

Conclusion: Dual-task training for older adults with aMCI increased rCBF in the frontal gyrus but did not promote reversion from MCI to normal cognition. Future intervention studies, such as follow-up examinations after the intervention, are warranted to consider long-term prognosis.

Keywords: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment; conversion; dual-task training; non-randomized control trial; regional cerebral blood flow; reversion; single-photon emission computerized tomography.