\Walking six to nine miles per week may help to maintain brain size and prevent memory loss later in life according to a recent study. Researchers have previously theorized that physical activity can help to preserve grey matter in the brain which protects memory function and this study strengthens that theory.
Lead author, Dr. Kirk I. Erickson of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania explained how human brains shrink late in adulthood, which leads to memory problems. Erickson hopes his research results will prompt further investigation on how physical activity can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Erickson and his team investigated 299 adults averaging 78 years old who were dementia-free at the beginning of the study. Grey matter volume, physical activity and cognitive impairment were measured. Nine years into the study, participants underwent MRI brain scans to measure grey matter loss. They were then given cognitive impairment tests to evaluate thinking skills and signs of dementia 13 years later.
At the 9-year mark those who had reported walking 6 to 9 miles at the beginning of the study had more grey matter volume than those who walked less. The participants who walked the most were also half as likely to develop memory problems later. Though researchers acknowledge their study does not establish cause and effect, the results do suggest strong links between physical activity, memory retention and overall brain health.
"If regular exercise in midlife could improve brain health and improve thinking and memory in later life, it would be one more reason to make regular exercise in people of all ages a public health imperative,” Erickson said.
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