Improving Gait Ability and Cognition Function through Action Observation Training in Elderly with Dementia

BackgroundDementia is one of the most prevalent conditions among older adults.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effect of action observation training (AOT) on gait ability and cognition in older individuals with dementia.MethodsA total of 36 participants were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=18) or control (n=18) group. The 5-week intervention involved 45-min sessions. The participants engaged in general group exercises for 30 min. The experimental group watched a training video for 5 min, while the control group watched a scenic video. Subsequently, both groups underwent functional training for 10 min. All participants were assessed using a gait analyzer (G-walk), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), timed up and go (TUG) test, and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) before and after the intervention.ResultsThe two groups showed significant within-group changes in gait velocity, cadence, stride length, DGI, and MoCA-K scores (p<0.05). However, the TUG test showed a significant differences only in the experimental group (p<0.05). A significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups regarding the changes in gait velocity, cadence, DGI, TUG test, and MoCA-K score after the intervention (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe study suggest that AOT is effective in improving the gait and cognitive abilities of older individuals with dementia.