Exercise at any age can prevent Alzheimer’s
Regular exercise at any age could keep the mind young and help you prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, according to a research published in the journal NeuroImage.
People with dementia may experience memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language.
In this study, the researchers discovered a positive correlation between fitness and blood flow to areas of the brain where the tangles and plaques of Alzheimer’s disease are usually first detected.
‘This is an important first step towards demonstrating that being physically active improves blood flow to the brain and confers some protection from dementia,’ said lead researcher Nathan Johnson from the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences in the US.
The findings suggests, conversely, that people who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s and live sedentary life might be more susceptible.
For the study, 30 men and women aged 59-69 were put through treadmill fitness assessments and ultrasounds of the heart. They also underwent brain scans to look for blood flow to certain areas of the brain.
‘We set out to characterise the relationship between heart function, fitness and cerebral blood flow, which no other study had explored to date,’ Johnson said.
Johnson said, ‘In other words, if you’re in good physical shape, does that improve blood flow to critical areas of the brain? And does that improved blood flow provide some form of protection from dementia?’
The results showed blood flow to critical areas of the brain — and hence the supply of oxygen and vital nutrients — was higher in those who were more physically fit. This study demonstrates that regular exercise at any age could keep the mind young, Johnson said.
People who exercise regularly often have reduced arterial stiffness, and the researchers believe that regular physical activity regardless of age maintains the integrity of the blood vessels that carry blood to the brain.
Being physically active improves blood flow to the brain and that helps prevent dementia!
