Susan Dawson Cook
Have you misplaced the car keys again? Do you desperately wish you could halt this frustrating cognitive decline? Look no further than the nearest fitness center. Elizabeth Agnvall’s article entitled Keep Your Brain Young by Staying Fit in the September, 2016 AARP Bulletin discusses the role of exercise in brain health. Every study confirmed that moderate to high-intensity exercise plays a critical role in keeping the brain healthier and reducing the potential for Alzheimer’s and myriad other age-related degenerative neurological conditions.
A seahorse-shaped portion of the brain’s medial temporal lobe, known as the hippocampus, is key for memory and typically shrinks with age. In diseases such as Alzheimer’s, the hippocampus is the first region to suffer damage. This downhill slide isn’t a foregone conclusion with active individuals, however. Arthur F. Kramers conducted a study at Northeastern University in Boston regarding exercise and the hippocampus. Previously sedentary men and women ages 50 to 80 performed track walking for 40 minutes a day, three times a week for six months. Over the course of the study, their hippocampi grew larger. The non-walking control group did not fare so well. Everyone in the sedentary group experienced hippocampi shrinkage over the course of the six-month period.
Another study of nearly 900 men and women (average age 71) revealed that those who had exercised moderately or vigorously over a five-year period performed on par with individuals a decade younger on memory and other brain skill tests.
Regular exercise can prevent high blood pressure and arterial hardening. Active individuals with healthy blood vessels also benefit from better blood flow to the brain. Scientists have discovered that aerobic exercise releases a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor or BDNF, which plays a key role in repairing and protecting the brain. A study conducted at UCLA found that women age 65 and older had a 50 percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s with increased activity. These results are nothing short of remarkable.
Strength training is also brain-beneficial. A study of women who engaged in moderate strength training at least once a week experienced a 15 percent improvement in mental skills tests.
All the evidence shows that the only obstacle to cognitive improvement for most people is a sedentary lifestyle. Go ahead and keep working on those crossword puzzles and playing Sudoku, but don’t forget to fit in time to exercise daily. Moving your body is the best way to stay sharp in your golden years.
Employed by Vital Moves, Susan is an AFAA certified personal trainer/group exercise instructor and a 200 RYT Yoga Alliance certified Ashtanga Yoga instructor.