Exercise training for cognitive and physical function in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: This systematic review evaluates the effect of exercise training in the treatment of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched up to Oct 2021 in order to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which evaluated the effects of physical exercise in persons with MCI. Changes of cognitive and physical function were tested using pre- and postMMSE and TUG scores, and were compared with control intervention. Results: A total of 10 RCTs involving 635 MCI patients were included in the meta-analysis. Physical exercise improved MMSE scores (MD 0.71, 95 % CI 0.57 to 0.85, P < .00001, I-2 = 95 %) and TUG performance (MD -0.82, 95 % CI -1.20 to -0.45, P < .00001, I-2 = 1(2) %) in patients with MCI. Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrated a positive effect of exercise training in people with MCI in relation to cognitive and physical function. These findings suggest exercise interventions be persistent, and reveal that more high-quality researches are needed.