title: Association of physical activity with the visuospatial/executive functions of the montreal cognitive assessment in patients with vascular cognitive impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is more suitable than the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for the detection of vascular cognitive impairment. In this study, we performed a correlation analysis of MoCA/MMSE scores with daily physical activity in patients with subcortical ischemic white matter changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients (average 75.9 ± 9.1 years old) with extensive leukoaraiosis detected on magnetic resonance imaging underwent cognitive testing, including the MMSE and the Japanese version of the MoCA (MoCA-J). Physical activity was monitored with the Kenz Lifecorder EX device (Suzuken, Nagoya, Japan) to assess daily physical activity in terms of caloric expenditure, motor activity, number of steps, and walking distance for 6 months. Correlations of individual physical activity with total and subscale scores of MMSE/MoCA-J or 6-month interval change of MoCA-J scores were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total or subscale scores of the MMSE did not correlate with any parameters of physical activity. However, the mean number of steps and walking distance significantly correlated with the total MoCA-J scores (r = .67 and .64, respectively) and its visuospatial/executive subscores (r = .66 and .66, respectively). The mean interval change of MoCA-J was + .6; those who improved number of steps (n = 4; 80.5 ± 3.0 years of age) had significantly preserved MoCA-J scores compared to those who did not (n = 6; 73.0 ± 11.6 years of age; +2.0 versus - .3; P = .016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that MoCA is useful to detect a biologically determined specific relationship between physical activity and executive function. In addition, physical exercise, such as walking, may help enhance cognitive function in patients with vascular cognitive impairment of subcortical origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine Research, Kobe Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, Japan. Electronic address: ihara@fbri.org.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hase
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*