OBJECTIVE: To develop a systematic review of scientific articles that have been analyzed the effects of systematic physical activity in depression of patients with Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: We performed a search in the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, MedLine and Biological Abstracts, we used the following keywords: "Alzheimer dementia", "Alzheimer disease", "Alzheimer's, physical activity", "physical exercise", "motor intervention", "physical therapy", "exercise", "aerobic", "strength", "fitness", "depression", "dysphoria", "depressive symptoms" and "depressive episodes", and also a manual search in references of the selected articles. RESULTS: Have been found four studies that met all criteria of this study. Two studies presented reductions in depressive symptoms, and two others no reduction of these symptoms. CONCLUSION: In conducting this systematic review, it was observed that there is not consensus regarding the benefits of physical activity on depressive symptoms in patients with Alzheimer dementia.
Alzheimer's disease; physical exercise; depression
