Regular Exercise May Ward Off Cognitive Decline | Regular Exercise | exercise program

If you’ve been looking for a reason to begin an exercise program or get back into working out regularly, the results of two new studies may give you the inspiration you need. Researchers found that people who participated in moderate physical activity in midlife or later had a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and a six-month high-intensity aerobic exercise program improved the cognitive function of individuals who already had the condition.

Less severe than dementia, MCI is defined as cognitive defects that are evident but do not interfere with daily living, such as slower thinking, reduced ability to learn, and impaired memory. Each year, about 10 to 15 percent of people with MCI progress to dementia, compared with 1 to 2 percent of the general population. As the average life span continues to lengthen, it becomes even more important to find ways to minimize age-related mental decline. Previous research has suggested that exercise may improve cognitive function.

In one of the recent studies, Dr. Yonas E. Geda and colleagues at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota analyzed data on 1,324 individuals without dementia who completed a questionnaire about physical activity between 2006 and 2008 as part of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. The participants had an average age of 80 and were classified as having normal cognition (1,126) or MCI (198).

Those who reported performing moderate exercise such as yoga, aerobics, strength training, swimming or brisk walking during midlife were 39 percent less likely to develop MCI, while moderate exercise later in life was associated with a 32 percent reduction. The findings were consistent among men and women. However, light exercise, such as bowling, golfing with a cart or slow dancing, or vigorous exercise, including jogging, racquetball and skiing, were not associated with reduced risk for MCI. “Our findings contribute to the growing body of literature that indicates the potentially beneficial relationship between physical exercise and cognition,” the authors conclude.

The Mayo team says exercise may protect against MCI through production of nerve-protecting compounds, increased blood flow to the brain, improved development and survival of neurons, and decreased risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, but that it may be that physical exercise is simply a marker for a healthy lifestyle. “A subject who engages in regular physical exercise may also show the same type of discipline in dietary habits, accident prevention, adherence to preventive intervention, compliance with medical care and similar health-promoting behaviors.” The researchers conclude that future study is needed to confirm the association between exercise and the decreased risk of MCI and provide additional information on cause and effect relationships.

In another study, Dr. Laura D. Baker, of the University of Washington and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, and colleagues conducted a six-month clinical trial involving 33 adults with MCI (17 women, 16 men, and aged 55 to 85). Twenty-three of the participants were randomly assigned to a supervised aerobic exercise group and performed high-intensity workouts for 45-60 minutes per day, four days per week. The remaining 10 participants served as the control group, having the same workout schedule but did supervised stretching exercises and kept their heart rate low. Fitness testing, body fat analysis, blood tests of metabolic markers and cognitive functions were assessed before, during and after the trial.

A total of 29 participants completed the trial. Overall, those in the aerobic exercise group experienced improved cognitive function compared to those in the control group. The effects were more pronounced in women than in men, which the researchers say could be because the metabolic effects of exercise, such as changes to the body’s use and production of insulin, glucose and the stress hormone cortisol, differed in men and women. “Aerobic exercise is a cost-effective practice that is associated with numerous physical benefits. The results of this study suggest that exercise also provides a cognitive benefit for some adults with mild cognitive impairment,” the authors conclude. “Six months of a behavioral intervention involving regular intervals of increased heart rate was sufficient to improve cognitive performance for an at-risk group without the cost and adverse effects associated with most pharmaceutical therapies.”

However, the exercise regimen in the trail proved too intensive for four of the participants who dropped out because of problems like joint or chest pain. Therefore, it might be that not all seniors would be able to participate in this type of program. But we know that regular exercise and physical activity are extremely important and provide long-term health benefits, so it makes sense to stay as active as your health allows. The National Academy of Sciences has recommended that everyone strive for a total of an hour per day of physical activity. This may sound like a lot, but the hour can be made up of several shorter bursts of activity like walking, gardening or even heavy housecleaning done throughout the day.

The reports are published in the January issue of Archives of Neurology.

Source: http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/mental-health/regular-exercise-may-ward-off-cognitive-decline-4038.html?page=1

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