Effects of Aerobic Exercises on Dual-task Performance and Motor Skills in Children With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and understanding, encompassing aspects such as thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving. These processes include attention, memory, executive functions, perception, language, and visuospatial skills. In children, cognitive development is critical for academic success, social interactions, and daily living activities. In the context of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in children, cognitive processes may be less efficient or slower than in typically developing peers.This can affect their ability to perform tasks that require simultaneous cognitive and motor functions, known as dual tasks. Aerobic exercises are known to provide numerous cognitive and physical benefits, but their specific impact on children with MCI has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of study is to analyze the effects of aerobic exercises on dual-task performance and motor skills in children with mild cognitive impairment.The current study will be randomized control trial; data will be collected from Government special education center Johar Town. The study will include patients equally divided into two groups and randomly allocated. Inclusion criteria for the study will be both genders, having age between7 to 12, children with IQ ranging from 50-70, who are cooperative. Children with Hearing or vision impairment, any neurological/musculoskeletal disorder or already involved in an intervention program will also be excluded from the study. Experimental group will perform a structured aerobic exercise program and control group will do its daily routine activities. The intervention group will receive 3 sessions per week for 12weeks. Each session lasted 45 min on average. Outcomes to be analyzed will be dual-task performance and motor skills. Tools used for data collection will be Timed Up and Go, Single Leg Stance, Tandem Stance, and 30-second Sit-to-Stand tests and TGMD-2. Data will be analyzed through SPSS version 26.00.