Even a simple exercise routine can help protect the brain health of people with memory problems if done consistently.
It is a well-known fact that physical activity helps maintain a healthy brain. In addition, this study looked at the effects of exercise in the elderly, whose memory had already started to decline.
A research team at Wake Forest University in the United States recruited 300 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer’s, and asked half of them to do aerobic exercise and the other half to do exercises that slightly increase heart rate, such as stretching and balancing. As the study was conducted while the gym was closed due to COVID-19, trainers helped the elderly exercise through video calls.
As a result of the experiment, the cognitive test level did not drop in either group after 1 year. Brain scan results did not show any contractions due to memory loss. This contrasts with previous studies that patients with mild cognitive impairment usually have significant cognitive decline for one year.
The research team explained that cognitive function can be maintained without excessive exercise to the point of sweating profusely. Any kind of exercise, if performed regularly and consistently, can reduce harmful inflammation in the body and increase the amount of blood flow to the brain.
If so, how much exercise did the elderly do in this experiment? I exercised for 30-45 minutes 4 times a week. Some older people worked diligently on the treadmill, while others did only light stretching exercises. While some older adults were less active, they found health benefits not available to those who spent most of their day sitting or lying down.
In addition to physical activity, the research team is also conducting a larger study to see if a healthy diet, brain-stimulating games, and social activities can reduce the risk of dementia.
By Moon Se-young, staff reporter pomy80@kormedi.com
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