Regular exercise while ageing prevents cognitive decline
A Mayo Clinic study in the USA has found that regular physical exercise may help protect against mild cognitive impairment, a brain disorder that affects nerve cells used in thinking and often a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment can function reasonably well in everyday activities, but often have difficulty remembering details of conversations, events and upcoming appointments.
Most, but not all, patients with mild cognitive impairment develop a progressive decline in their thinking abilities over time. Alzheimer’s disease is usually the underlying cause.
“While the benefits of exercise are well documented for improving overall health, this is one of the first studies to specifically look at whether it can help protect against the development of mild cognitive impairment,” said Dr Yonas Endale Geda, a Mayo Clinic neuron-psychiatrist and the study’s lead investigator.
“Regarding the mechanism of action of physical exercise and mild cognitive impairment, we speculate that either exercise induces chemicals that protect brain cells, or exercise is simply a marker for an overall healthy lifestyle, or there is some positive interaction among exercise, healthy lifestyle and intellectually stimulating activity,” Dr Geda said.
