# The effectiveness of respiratory training as a preventive strategy against cognitive decline: a mini review

## TL;DR

This review explores whether respiratory muscle training can help prevent cognitive decline, finding limited but promising evidence.

## Contribution

The paper provides a synthesis of current evidence on respiratory muscle training's potential to prevent cognitive decline.

## Key findings

- Preliminary evidence suggests inspiratory muscle training may improve specific cognitive domains.
- Current studies are limited and require further well-designed trials to confirm effectiveness.
- RMT has been tested in populations with COPD, OSA, and post-COVID-19, but results remain inconclusive.

## Abstract

Cognitive decline and dementia represent a growing global health burden, particularly among older adults and populations with cardiopulmonary and vascular risk factors. While physical exercise has been shown to exert protective effects on cognition, the role of respiratory muscle training (RMT) remains unclear. The aim of this review was to investigate the effects of RMT on cognitive function and cognitive decline. Respiratory muscle training has been implemented in older adults with elevated blood pressure, post–COVID-19 patients, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There is only preliminary evidence regarding the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on cognitive function, with only one study reporting statistically significant between-group differences (i.e., respiratory muscle training vs. control) in specific cognitive domains. Although respiratory muscle training appears to be a potentially promising intervention for improving cognitive function, the current evidence is limited. Further well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to draw definitive conclusions regarding its preventive role in cognitive decline and dementia.