As we get older, the importance of regular exercise continues to be recommended by doctors and nutritionists alike–yet many of us would rather veg out on the couch than get in a good workout.
But now a new study says there may be another reason to stay physically active–it could improve your memory.
Reporting in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, researchers say that aerobic exercise helps improve brain and cognitive function in older adults.
“Physical exercise may be one of the most beneficial and cost-effective therapies widely available to everyone to elevate memory performance,” says Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., lead author of the study and founder and chief director of the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Brain Health. “These findings should motivate adults of all ages to start exercising aerobically.”
In the study, which examined the effects of physical activity on the brain, researchers gathered 37 sedentary adults between the ages of 57 to 75, who were then split into a physical training or sedentary group. Those who were put into the physical training group were advised to do aerobic exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike for one hour three times a week. Researchers then asked them to keep up this regimen for a total of 12 weeks.
During the 12 week period, researchers also examined their resting cerebral blood flow before, during, and after the regimen.
The result? Blood flow to the brain’s hippocampus, a key region of the brain affected by memory loss, improved dramatically.
“By measuring brain blood flow non-invasively using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI, we can now begin to detect brain changes much earlier than before,” says Sina Aslan, Ph.D., founder and president of Advance MRI, who helped with the study. “One key region where we saw increase in brain blood flow was the anterior cingulate, indicating higher neuronal activity and metabolic rate. The anterior cingulate has been linked to superior cognition in late life.”
In turn, researchers believe this could potentially ward off the effects of age-related memory loss, and to a bigger extent, memory loss disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But according to Chapman, this is only part of the solution.
“The combination of physical and mental exercise may be the best health measures to improve overall cognitive brain health,” says Chapman. “We have just begun to test the upper boundaries of how we can enhance our brain’s performance into late life. To think we can alter and improve the basic structure of the mature brain through aerobic exercise and complex thinking should inspire us to challenge our thinking and get moving at any age.”
What You Should Do
Though it’s only part of the solution, regular exercise may have a tremendous impact on your brain health–and if you’re at risk for memory loss, it’s worth it to start exercising today.
But how much do you need? About 3 hours of aerobic exercise–that’s a little over 42 minutes a day–should keep your brain protected for life.
Readers: Do you exercise regularly?
Sources:
Aerobic Exercise Good for Fighting Memory Loss – Science20.com
Study: Exercise May Fight Memory Loss – Frontiersin.org
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