Aerobic Dance Training in Small Vessel Disease

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is associated with age-related disabilities including dementia, depression, physical and functional impairment. Chinese are more prone to developing SVD than Caucasians. Physical exercise may improve multiple negative consequences associated with SVD. Objective and hypothesis to be tested: To examine the effects of a 24-week structured aerobic dance training on cognition, mood, physical and daily functions in stroke and dementia free older adults with SVD, and whether such effects are mediated through improved cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVR), a marker of cerebral autoregulation which is impaired in SVD. Design and subjects: Rater-blind RCT comparing the effects of 24-week of structured aerobic dance training upon cognition, mood, physical and daily functions on 110 community dwelling, stroke- and dementia-free persons aged ≥65 with MRI evidence of significant SVD, defined as the presence of multiple (≥2) lacunes and/or early confluent or confluent WML. Interventions: Participants are randomized in a 1:1 ratio into a 24-week of structured therapist-led group aerobic dance training with home practice or simple stretching plus health education control group. Main outcome measures: Cognition, mood, physical and daily functions and CVR measured using Transcranial Doppler at baseline, weeks 12, 24 and 36. Data analysis: Intent-to-treat with multiple imputations with treatment efficacy analyzed using mixed effects models. Mediation effects of CVR between aerobic dance training and treatment outcomes tested using mediation models. Expected results: In persons with significant SVD, aerobic dance training improves cognitive, mood, physical and daily functions and such effects are mediated by changes in CVR.