Methodical exercise in the elderly is associated with a slower rate of decline in thinking skills, which occurs naturally with aging. According to an observational study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology; people who have reported little to no exercise experienced a reduction of 10 years in aging compared to those who reported being engaged in moderate or vigorous exercise.
"The number of people over 65 years old in the United States is increasing. Consequently, the public health burden and problems with thinking and memory are likely to grow" said Clinton B. Wright, MD, MS University of Miami, Fl and member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our study showed that for the elderly, regular exercise may be protective, helping to maintain their cognitive abilities longer."
For the study, researchers analyzed data from 876 people who participated in the study of Northern Manhattan. The participants were each asked how long and how often they had exercised during the two weeks prior to this study. An average of seven years later, every person I will take tests of memory and thinking skills and an MRI of the brain, and five years after they took the tests of memory and thinking were administered again.
Of the group, 90 percent of the sample population reported having done little to no exercise. Light exercises may include activities such as walking and yoga. The remaining 10 percent reported moderate to high intensity exercise; which could include activities such as running, aerobics, or calisthenics. The 2 groups were named accordingly (Low & High Activity Groups).
Throughout the initial phases of the study, most participants did not show any signs of problems with memory and thinking. Subsequently, researchers found that those who reported low levels of activity showed a further decline in more than five years.
Conversely, participants with high levels of activity were tested on how quickly they could perform simple tasks. The high activity participants displayed a difference equal to 10 years of aging.
The difference also remained after researchers adjusted forother factors that might affect brain health. i.e) smoking, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, and body mass index.
"Physical activity is an attractive option to reduce the burden of cognitive impairment in public health because it is inexpensive and does not interfere with medications," Wright said. "Our results suggest that moderate or intense exercise can help the elderly delay the aging in one’s brain. However, more research of randomized clinical trials comparing exercise programs with sedentary activity are needed to confirm these results. "
Sources:
American Academy of Neurology
NMJ Library
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