What is it:
Cognitive health is directly linked with the ability of exercise to stimulate brain and circulation activity. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition, sleep, and exercise, can significantly impact the risk of cognitive decline.
One symptom of cognitive decline in the aging population is dementia. This affects everyday life through memory issues and decision-making. The most common cause of Dementia is Alzheimer's, which affects around 6.5 million people 65 and older in the United States. Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia where memory loss causes actions that were once intuitive to become challenging to process and execute.
Although genetic predisposition and environment impact cognitive decline, there are controllables. Any neuroprotective practices that preserve and prevent nerve/brain damage are beneficial, so the more you participate in brain-healthy lifestyle habits, the better off you'll be overall.
Purported claims:
The benefits of exercise go way beyond building cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal health. Studies show that regular exercise and healthy lifestyle habits such as whole foods diet decrease the risk of chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s:
Decreases chronic inflammation
Balances the release and synthesis of neural proteins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Improves cerebral blood flow
Creates new neurons and connections
Improves neuroplasticity
Exercise intensity may help different parts of memory
Delays the onset of dementia
Childhood exercise helps cognitive function later in life
What the science says:
Let's start with the most obvious benefit of exercise, which is that it lowers the overall risk of chronic diseases. In general, conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity respond well to any form of movement. The adverse effects of having multiple chronic diseases are well recorded. For example, the risk for all types of dementia is more than 70% higher when you have diabetes than if you don't. Also, younger age at onset of diabetes was associated with a significantly higher risk of developing dementia later in life.
According to a recent study, walking just 3,800 steps per day reduced the risk of dementia by 50%. The researchers also noticed that if you walked just 30 mins spread out throughout the day but kept your pace faster (between 80-100 steps/min), there was a 30% lower risk of developing dementia compared with those whose average pace was slower.
A key benefit of exercise is thought to be its ability to help the brain make new neurons. This happens in the hippocampus, a brain structure key to learning and memory. In addition, neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to form new neural pathways) is better in people who exercise.
A recent study looked into whether exercise intensity specifically affected different aspects of memory. The study found that light exercise such as walking helped 'episodic memory,' (e.g. the ability to recall everyday events). On the other hand, people who engaged in high-intensity exercise had better 'spatial memory,' meaning they could better remember where they left their keys, for example.
A long-term study in the UK showed a strong link between frequent vigorous exercise, housework-related activity, and meaningful connections with friends and family with reduced risk of multiple types of dementia. Even people with a family history of dementia were more protected when they exercised.
As we age, a substantial decline in muscular strength, especially in lower limb muscles, occurs, and accumulating evidence suggests that lower muscular strength is linked to poorer cognitive performance. People with Alzheimer's usually have white matter abnormalities, such as white matter lesions associated with a decline in cognitive functions.
One study looking into resistance training and brain changes in older adults showed that those who had engaged in resistance exercises twice a week exhibited better performance in executive tasks. Additionally, resistance training reduced the volume of lesions and atrophy, which led to increased gait speed. White matter lesions and slower gait have been linked to increased fall risk in older people.
Neurotransmitter levels, crucial for cognitive function, decline about 10% after early adulthood. A study in early childhood exercise habits has indicated that fitter children had better cognitive function later in life.
Our take:
Dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease, is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the world. Being able to think clearly and take part in everyday tasks is an important part of independent living, especially as we age since our circle of life might be getting smaller.
Maintaining independence and movement are critical as we get older. Exercise alongside other healthy lifestyle choices are known preventative measures to mitigate the risk of cognitive health issues.
Just like the rest of the body, the brain dramatically benefits from being physically and mentally active throughout your life. A diverse exercise routine and differing intensity levels can alter distinct areas of memory and cognitive function.
Aim for a mixture of movements, including:
Resistance
Aerobic
Balance
Agility
Flexibility
Studies have shown a direct link between substantial muscle mass and cognitive function. Therefore flooding the brain with nutrient-rich blood is vital to preserving its integrity and increasing your BDNF protein levels. Adopting a routine involving multiple training types may help maintain neural plasticity, memory, and learning abilities.
Will this benefit you?
As studies show, incorporating any movement into your daily routine benefits the body and brain. Since resistance training works your whole body and requires balance and coordination, it naturally challenges your brain in a way that some aerobic exercises might not. This is why it’s highly beneficial to do strength training along with your aerobic exercise on a regular basis. Currently, exercise is the best life insurance for cognitive decline.
Still curious to try it? If you do, here is what to keep an eye on:
A person with dementia gains the same kind of benefits from regular exercise as anyone else, including improved cardiovascular fitness, strength, and mobility. If you’re starting to see the early signs of dementia, such as memory loss, confusion, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating, seek the advice of a doctor, especially if you’re new to exercise. If you have been active most of your life, it’s always good to keep your routine going as long as you feel it’s safe to do so.
If you’re unsure how to begin, seek the advice of a certified personal trainer who understands how dementia affects the body so they can consider it when designing your exercise program. Remember, any physical activity is helpful such as gardening or dancing. It doesn’t have to be a structured exercise to count!
References and additional reading:
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