O impacto do exercício físico na doença de Alzheimer: paciente idoso sob uma perspectiva global

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of physical exercise on functional capacity and depressive symptoms in elderly individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), with the aim of analyzing and correlating them, and verifying the effect of the multicomponent exercise protocol carried out over 12 weeks on their motor functionality. In addition, the present methodology encompasses this protocol applied to 12 elderly individuals aged 65 years or older. The intensity of the exercise was moderate and verified by the adapted Borg scale (1-10), the measurement of the effect of the exercise was assessed through the Time Up and Go (TUG) test and depressive symptoms by the Cornell Scale in pre- and post-intervention assessments. The results showed that there was no significant correlation between the Cornell Scale and the TUG (p = 0.50), nor was there any improvement in depressive symptoms (p = 0.10) or between the TUG measures (p = 0.33). However, it is believed that there was a maintenance of depressive symptoms and functional capacity of elderly individuals with AD, which is already a gain, since AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. The importance of physical exercise is evident, as well as its numerous benefits reported in the study and the great importance of a multidisciplinary team for the best treatment from the patient's perspective from a biopsychosocial perspective, that is, according to their due globality. On the other hand, as the results of this study did not show significant improvements after 12 weeks of the multicomponent protocol, further studies and research are needed to obtain a more satisfactory result, either through a control group; or a larger sample; a multidisciplinary protocol (having other areas of health working together (such as Physiotherapy)); or even a longer intervention time (either more than 16 weeks in total or 3 times a week).