Skip to main content

Walking Linked to Improved Cognitive Outcomes in Down Syndrome

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 4, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 -- For adults with Down syndrome (DS), walking interventions are associated with improved physical and cognitive outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Viviane Merzbach, from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, and colleagues examined the effects of eight weeks of prescribed exercise and/or cognitive training on the physical and cognitive health of 83 adults with DS across five continents. Physical fitness was assessed using a modified version of the six-minute walk test (6MWT); cognitive and executive function were also assessed. Participants were assigned to eight weeks of exercise (EXE [three x 30 minutes per week of walking/jogging]), cognitive training (COG) six times per week, a combined group (COM), or a control group (CON), which did not engage in any of the interventions.

The researchers found that the 6MWT distance increased by 11.4 and 9.9 percent for EXE and COM, respectively. Across all experimental groups, for the Sustained-Attention-to-Response Task, there were positive significant interactions observed between the number of correct and incorrect responses from preintervention to postintervention when participants were asked to refrain from a response. For the Stroop task, there were positive significant interactions seen for the number of correct, incorrect, and timeout incompatible responses in EXE, COG, and COM.

"Increased cognitive function will help foster increased societal integration and quality of life, which, given that this is the first generation of those with DS to outlive their parents and caregivers, is of importance," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Even Exercising a Few Times a Week Cuts Later Dementia Risk

THURSDAY, Oct. 31, 2024 -- The "weekend warrior" physical activity pattern is associated with a reduced risk for mild dementia over time, according to a study published online...

ED Visit Rate 36.1 per 1,000 Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease

TUESDAY, Oct. 29, 2024 -- For adults aged 65 years and older with Alzheimer disease, the emergency department visit rate was 36.1 visits per 1,000 adults in 2020 to 2022...

Cognitive Therapy, Modafinil, Combo All Beneficial for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

FRIDAY, Oct. 25, 2024 -- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), modafinil, and their combination are equally beneficial for multiple sclerosis fatigue, according to a study published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.