| [ Summary ] |
Cognitive impairment is being studied from the viewpoint of patient frailty. As in community-dwelling older adults, frailty is associated with cognitive impairment in dialysis patients. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factors in the muscles and brain, which leads to enhanced neurogenesis in granular brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus, and to improved learning and memory ability. Dual-task training combined with exercise and cognitive tasks is reported to improve cognitive functions in healthy elderly patients. In dialysis patients, walking balance is impaired during dual task performance (e.g. walking and talking) to a greater extent than in age-matched healthy controls subjects. However, there have been no studies to examine the effects of dual-task training on cognitive function. As a result the development of new exercise programs to prevent the onset and/or progression of dementia are needed for dialysis patients. |