title: Maintaining physical fitness and function in Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about how aerobic exercise affects physical functioning in persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study used a 1-group repeated measures design to examine the feasibility and impact of a 6-month individualized moderate intensity cycling intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness and lower extremity function in 8 participants aged 81.4 ± 3.58. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the shuttle walk and modified YMCA cycle ergometer tests, and lower extremity function was measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) at baseline, 3 months and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The YMCA test showed a significant reduction in heart rate at stage 2 (103.4 vs 90.9 vs 91.6; P = .01), while no significant changes were observed in the shuttle walk and SPPB tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persons with AD are able to improve cardiorespiratory conditioning from aerobic exercise. Randomized, controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings. Implications for future research are detailed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, MN, USA. yuxxx244@umn.edu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Savik
authors.forename: Jean F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wyman
authors.forename: Ulf G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Bronas
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016552:Ergometry; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects