Kinesthetic Exercises on Adults

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Kinesthetic brain exercises: Kinesthetic brain exercises are a series of movements designed to connect the body and mind, encourage the use of brain hemispheres through physical and mental strategies, and also improve and strengthen cognitive functions for learning.

Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy: This is the standard physiotherapy procedure applied to patients with heart failure. It includes practices aimed at improving breathing, improving respiratory muscle strength, and providing mobilization. It encompasses breathing exercises, functional mobility exercises, stretching and flexibility exercises for the upper and lower extremities, etc.

Heart Failure drugs: Continued use of medications prescribed by the cardiologist, under the supervision of the doctor.

Study summary

The aim of this study is to determine the possible effect of kinesthetic brain exercises on cognitive function in patients with heart failure.

The study will include 40 volunteer individuals aged 30-65 years who have been diagnosed with heart failure in the Cardiology Department and are followed up with a physiotherapy program. Individuals will be randomized into a kinesthetic brain exercise program group (n=20) and a control group (n=20).

The control group will receive routine medication monitoring as well as a routine physiotherapy program. The education group will receive routine medication monitoring and a routine physiotherapy program, in addition to individual kinesthetic brain exercise training. Kinesthetic brain exercises will be performed for 30 minutes, 2 days a week for 8 weeks. Demographic information of the individuals will be collected; age, gender, body mass index, age at diagnosis, ejection fraction ratio, family history, smoking status (years/pack). Cognitive function; The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), quality of life using the Minnesota Heart Failure Living Questionnaire, and cognitive performance using the Standardized Minimental Test (SMMT) will be used for evaluation. Biochemical analyses will be performed using the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) ELISA kit. Patients in both groups will be evaluated by a physiotherapist before the study and at week 8.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Cognitive Function — Initially and after 8 weeks
  Cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). The MoCA was developed as a rapid screening test for mild cognitive impairment. The MoCA assesses various cognitive functions, including attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visual construction skills, abstract thinking, calculation, and orientation. The test is scored between 0 and 30 points. A score of 21 or higher is considered normal.
• Biochemical analyses — Initially and after 8 weeks
  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) will be examined through biochemical analyses.
• Cognitive Performance — Initially and after 8 weeks
  The Standardized Mini-Mental Test (SMMT) will be used to assess cognitive performance. Test scores range from 0 to 30. The threshold for the Mini-Mental Test is 22-23 for educated individuals and 18-19 for uneducated individuals. In assessments for individuals with dementia, scores between 25-30 indicate normal cognitive function, 21-24 indicate mild dementia, 10-20 indicate mild-to-moderate dementia, and 0-9 indicate advanced dementia.

Trial sites (1)

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