title: Physical activity attenuates neuropsychiatric disturbances and caregiver burden in patients with dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A significant benefit from physical activity has recently been described in some patients who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of physical activity on neuropsychiatric disturbances in demented patients and on the mental burden of their caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assisted by a public geriatric psychiatry clinical unit, we studied 59 patients with dementia. Patients were divided into three groups according to their diagnosis and level of physical activity. Data were assessed through a semi-structured interview. Patients were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire and the Baecke Questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression, with the level of significance set at 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with Alzheimer's or vascular dementia who engaged in physical activity had fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms than those who did not. When compared to the control group, the caregivers of patients with vascular dementia who engaged in physical activity had a reduced burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The regular practice of physical activity seems to contribute to a reduction in neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients and to attenuate the burden of the caregivers of those patients.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Health and Biological Sciences Center, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. gustavo_physio@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christofoletti
authors.forename: Merlyn Mércia
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Oliani
authors.forename: Lilian Teresa
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Bucken-Gobbi
authors.forename: Sebastião
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beinotti
authors.forename: Florindo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stella
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D057565:Apathy / Q000502:physiology; D017028:Caregivers; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016526:Workload