A case of dementia presenting remarkable improvement in activities of daily living through KAATSU training

The number of patients with dementia is increasing markedly, and effective treatment and methods for prevention are needed. Moderate exercise decreases the progression of dementia. We report a case of dementia presenting remarkable improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) through KAATSU training. The patient was a 78-year-old woman with brain atrophy detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the age of 73. She had a remarkable decrease in ADL and vitality at the age of 76 and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at the age of 77. In initial presentation, she had a humpback and Parkinsonian gait. Her muscle strength in the abdomen, lower back, and thighs was remarkably decreased, and her trunk rotation and sense of equilibrium were also reduced. At first, the training protocol was low-intensity resistance exercises using self-weight workouts and KAATSU-walk training. For upper extremities exercises, dynamic movement using the truncal muscle group was performed, and for lower extremities exercises, the sense of equilibrium was stimulated using standing exercises. The load and degree of difficulty were increased gradually. The average 10-meter walk time, the number of steps, and the average timed up and go test time were lower after 6 months than after 2 months. The average bilateral femoral circumference increased after 6 months compared with after 2 months. In conclusion, a patient with FTD performed KAATSU training for 6 months and had a remarkable improvement in motor function. Thus, KAATSU training may be effective in improving ADL in patients with dementia.