Physical education for the brain

Sports people have a brain 10 years younger

"Health in Russia and the world"

A new study shows that regular exercise is not only good for the heart, but can also protect memory and take a decade away from the age of your brain.

The study showed that people over the age of 65 who did little sports experienced brain aging 10 years more, compared with pensioners who reported moderate or intense physical activity.

American researchers studied the figures of 876 people, residents of the northern part of Manhattan, who were asked how long and how often they exercised during the two weeks before the start date of the experiment.

Seven years later, each person received tests of memory and thinking skills. Participants underwent an MRI of the brain. The findings were published online in the journal "Neurology" (Willey et al., Leisure-time physical activity associates with cognitive decline; a popular presentation of Exercise May Slow Brain Aging by 10 Years for Older People is published on the website of the American Academy of Neurology – VM).

At the beginning of the study, almost 90 percent of the group reported light physical daily exercise (for example, walking or yoga classes) or their absence. The remaining 10 percent reported moderate to high exercise intensity, which may include activities such as running, aerobics, or gymnastics. They were assigned to the high activity group.

Participants in the low-activity group who showed no signs of memory and thinking problems at the beginning of the experiment showed a greater decrease in memory function five years later compared to those in the active group. The difference also remained after the researchers adjusted for other factors that may affect brain health, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure.

It is worth noting that last year already one experiment showed that one hour of exercise per week can halve the risk of dementia.

Study author Dr. Clinton Wright of the University of Miami, said: "The number of people over the age of 65 is increasing, which means an increased burden on public health. Problems with thinking and memory are likely to grow. Our study has shown that for older people, regular exercise can be a protection, helping them to maintain their cognitive abilities for longer."

Therefore, it is worth considering that physical activity is an attractive option to reduce the burden of cognitive impairment, since it is an inexpensive alternative to medications.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  24.03.2016