A feasibility pilot study on the effects of a combined cognitive and physical intervention program in older adults in Panama

Introduction Latin America and the Caribbean are experiencing rapid population aging, accompanied by rising dementia prevalence. Risk is heightened by social inequalities, low education, and limited healthcare resources. While pharmacological treatments for dementia prevention offer only modest benefits, non-pharmacological multimodal interventions have shown promise for maintaining cognition. However, such programs have not yet been evaluated in Panama. This pilot study examined the feasibility and effects of a multimodal physical and cognitive intervention program on cognition, depressive symptoms, and physical performance in community-dwelling older adults in Panama. Methods Forty-three sedentary adults aged 60–80 were divided into three groups: combined cognitive–physical intervention group (CG; n = 15), a physical intervention group (PG; n = 15), or an active control group (AG; n = 13) for 4 months. Outcomes included cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS-15), and physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery, SPPB), assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results Mixed-model ANCOVAs, adjusted for age and education, revealed no significant group-by-time interactions for MoCA, GDS-15, or SPPB. Nonetheless, descriptive analyses indicated the greatest numerical improvements in the CG (MoCA: +3.4 points; GDS-15: −1.1 points). Repeated-measures ANOVAs showed significant overall gains in cognition [ F (1,40) = 4.733, p = 0.036] and small improvements in SPPB [ F (1,40) = 4.254, p = 0.046], though pairwise differences in SPPB were nonsignificant. Discussion This study demonstrates the feasibility of delivering multimodal interventions in Panama. Preliminary trends suggest potential cognitive and emotional benefits of combined approaches. Larger, longer trials are needed to confirm efficacy and optimize intervention design.