ThinkingFit: Combined Physical, Cognitive and Social Treatment in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Inclusion criteria

for patients with MCI

• Patients fulfilling criteria for AMCI [Petersen et al. 2001b]:

i. Memory impairment for age and education ii. No impairment in other cognitive domains iii. Normal social activities iv. Patient is not demented

• For the other subtypes of MCI, cognitive impairment in one or more nonmemory domain
• Sedentary lifestyle with no regular participation in physical exercise defined as two or three times a week for at least 20 minutes duration, or participation in active sport more than once a week, in the previous six months.
• Willing and able to give informed consent.
• Availability and access to safe exercise environments, such as paths or roads with sidewalks for walking or cycling.
• At low risk from serious adverse effects from increased physical activity as indicated by performance on the revised Physical activity readiness questionnaire (PARQ).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

for patients with MCI

• Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus.
• Blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or more.
• Body weight more than 140% of ideal body weight.
• Musculoskeletal or other medical problems preventing safe participation in regular moderate intensity exercise (65-77% of predicted maximum heart rate). This will include a resting tachycardia (heart rate above 100 bpm) and history of myocardial infarction or unstable angina within the last month.

Participants with modifiable exclusion criteria will be reconsidered after successful management. Patients will be referred for medical treatment prior to commencing exercise if indicated by the PARQ and the intervention will be guided by the PARmedX.

Participants taking medications affecting heart rate will need to be on a stable dosing regime for 3 months prior to commencing in order to control for potential spurious results on fitness measures caused by these treatments.