Preserving cognition in advanced age: The impact of physical activity on the brain's aging process
Xercising your brain ain't just a fancy workout trend, folks. Science shows it might help keep dementia at bay, especially for those showing signs of cognitive decline. This is according to a study by scientists from Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The researchers believe their study is the first to measure the impact of aerobic capacity on white matter integrity, cognitive performance, and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults aged 65 and above, who have mild memory and thinking issues (known as MCI).
First author, Prof. Kan Ding, an assistant professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics, explains, "This research strengthens the idea that increasing people's physical fitness could improve their brain health and slow down the aging process."
Their findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, reveal that people with MCI have problems with memory and reasoning, but they are not severe enough to interfere with daily living or self-care. Experts suggest that around 15-20% of individuals aged 65 and older may have MCI.
Measuring Aerobic Capacity for Fitness Evaluation
Scientists are still unclear about what causes MCI, although it might develop from early-stage Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. Factors linked to developing MCI include a family history of dementia, advancing age, and conditions contributing to cardiovascular disease.
MCI often precedes dementia, but not everyone with MCI will develop dementia. In some people, it might revert to normal cognitive functioning or simply not progress.
The researchers investigated people with amnestic MCI, which mostly impacts memory. Participants were 65, on average, with 55 having amnestic MCI and 26 serving as healthy controls.
To assess their cardiorespiratory fitness, the team tested each participant's maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during an aerobic exercise test.
Fitness and White Matter Relationship
Lower fitness was associated with weaker white matter in selected parts of the brain for people with MCI. The link remained significant even after taking into account age, sex, body mass index, white matter lesion burden, and MCI status.
Interestingly, DTI measures from brain regions impacted by low aerobic fitness correlated with performance on the memory and thinking tests for participants with MCI. In other words, higher levels of aerobic fitness related to better integrity of the brain's white matter, which was, in turn, linked to improved executive function in MCI patients.
The researchers' findings contribute to a growing body of evidence supporting the idea that physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, can benefit brain health as individuals grow older. Earlier work led by one of the researchers showed that messages pass more efficiently between brain cells in seniors who exercise, and other studies have suggested that aerobic exercise might be vital for Alzheimer's prevention, while walking 4,000 steps per day may boost brain function.
"A lot of work remains to better understand and treat dementia," concludes Prof. Kan Ding. "But our hope is that our studies will encourage people to exercise more."
- This study by scientists from Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas suggests that improving physical fitness could potentially slow down the aging process and improve brain health, especially for adults aged 65 and above who have mild memory and thinking issues, known as MCI.
- The researchers found that lower fitness was associated with weaker white matter inselected parts of the brain for people with MCI, and this link remained significant after considering various factors.
- Higher levels of aerobic fitness were linked to better integrity of the brain's white matter, which, in turn, was associated with improved executive function in MCI patients, as indicated by DTI measures from brain regions impacted by low aerobic fitness.
- The findings highlight the relationship between fitness and brain health, adding to a growing body of evidence that supports the benefits of physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, for maintaining cognitive function and potentially preventing dementia and other neurological disorders associated with aging.
