Sustaining Cognition and Improving Movement With Weight Training Exercises in a 78-Year-Old With DLB: A Case Report and Literature Review

James Alexander Gordon on 15th September 2025



Author Information

Manita Kittileadworakul, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Thailand
Yindee Boontra, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Thailand
Bootsakorn Loharjun, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Thailand
Penpicha Opasawat, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Thailand
Natthanun Roongruangsahapan, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Thailand
Keiko Mehra, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia, often with a worse prognosis than Alzheimer’s disease, including faster cognitive decline, shorter life expectancy, and higher rates of institutionalization. Despite its significance, no specific treatments exist due to limited research. This case involves a 78-year-old man diagnosed with DLB who presented with bradykinesia, vivid visual hallucinations, muscle stiffness, gait difficulties, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), and cognitive decline. He was prescribed Melatonin, Clonazepam, Donepezil, Quetiapine, Pitavastatin, and Levodopa/ benserazide. His initial scores were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) 25/30, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) 17/30, and Time Up and Go (TUG) 47 seconds. He participated in a structured rehabilitation program, including strength training (focusing on quadriceps, hamstrings, hip adductors/adductors/abductors, and core muscle) five days per week. After three years, his TUG improved to 17.58 seconds, MMSE score remained relatively stable at 27/30, MoCA score was 15/30, with no new neuropsychiatric symptoms appearing. However, six months after access to facilities was restricted and frequency of exercise was reduced to 2-3 days per week, functional decline accelerated despite increased Levodopa/ benserazide dosage. Ultimately, he became unable to walk. This case underscores the potential advantages of structured physical exercise and cognitive stimulation therapy in enhancing motor function and preserving cognitive stability in individuals with DLB. A multidisciplinary approach may improve long-term outcomes. Many studies have demonstrated the positive impact of exercise and weight training on Alzheimer’s dementia, similar strategies may be valuable for other dementia, including DLB.


Paper Information

Conference: EGen2025
Stream: Public Policy

This paper is part of the EGen2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window

To cite this article:
Kittileadworakul M., Boontra Y., Loharjun B., Opasawat P., Roongruangsahapan N., & Mehra K. (2025) Sustaining Cognition and Improving Movement With Weight Training Exercises in a 78-Year-Old With DLB: A Case Report and Literature Review ISSN: 2435-4937 The European Conference on Aging & Gerontology 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 23-32) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-4937.2025.3
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-4937.2025.3

Comments & Feedback

Place a comment using your LinkedIn profile

Comments

Share on activity feed

Powered by WP LinkPress

Share this Research

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

All Posts