The impact of multidomain interventions on cognitive and physical function in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: a meta‑analysis and systematic review

Qing Yi; Wei Wang; Yufei Qi; Chengwei Yang; Mengyun Sui; Kun Meng; Shanguang Zhao

doi:10.7717/peerj.19588

The impact of multidomain interventions on cognitive and physical function in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: a meta‑analysis and systematic review

PeerJ. 2025 Jun 26:13:e19588. doi: 10.7717/peerj.19588. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Qing Yi¹, Wei Wang², Yufei Qi³, Chengwei Yang¹, Mengyun Sui⁴, Kun Meng⁵, Shanguang Zhao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
² Center for Health Policy Research and Evaluation, School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University, Beijing, China.
³ Department of Physical Education and Research, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Shanghai, China.
⁵ School of Physical Education, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁶ Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to examine the efficacy of multidomain interventions compared to control and nutritional interventions in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Four databases were searched for relevant literature.

Methodology: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of multidomain interventions on cognitive and physical function in older adults with SCD were included.

Results: This study included six eligible studies with 1,767 participants. The results indicated that multidomain interventions significantly improved executive function and memory but did not significantly impact global cognition and physical performance compared to the control group. In addition, significant enhancements were observed in executive function and memory when compared to single nutritional interventions.

Conclusions: The findings revealed that multidomain interventions could effectively improve executive function and memory in older adults with SCD. Further studies with robust designs, particularly those comparing single-domain interventions, are needed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Cognitive decline; Cognitive performance; Healthy aging; Multicomponent intervention; Nonpharmacological intervention.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cognition* / physiology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / psychology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / therapy
Executive Function
Female
Humans
Male
Memory
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic