Hand motor activity, cognition, mood, and the rest-activity rhythm in dementia: a clustered RCT
Year of Publication 2009
Abstract
Background: Physical activity such as walking may exert a positive impact on cognition and behaviour in older persons with dementia, but due to the frailty of the population it may be worthwhile to consider other motor activities as well.; Objective: Examining the effects of hand motor activity on cognition, mood and the rest-activity rhythm in older persons with dementia.; Methods: Sixty-one older nursing home residents with dementia (mean age 84.6 years) were randomly assigned to either a hand movement program (experimental) or read aloud program (control) for 30min, 5 days a week, during 6 weeks. Neuropsychological tests, mood questionnaires, and actigraphy data were assessed at baseline, after 6 weeks, and again after 6 weeks. Apolipoprotein epsilon (ApoE) genotype was determined.; Results: Scores on neuropsychological tests were combined and formed specific Cognitive domains. Symptoms of depression and anxiety formed the Mood domain. Actigraphy variables composed the Rest-activity domain. In mixed model analyses no significant group x time interactions were found on either the Cognitive, Mood or Rest-activity domains in the intention-to-treat analysis. In the per protocol analysis, that included people who attended at least 80% of the sessions, mood improved only in the experimental group. No significant time x group x ApoE interaction effects were found in either analysis.; Conclusion: In older nursing home residents with dementia, increased attendance to the hand movement program appeared to have a positive effect on mood. Hand motor activity is a type of activity that can be applied at a large scale.;