Exercise May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk By Half

There are plenty of reasons to stay active in older age and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s can now be counted among them, according to two new studies published March, 11, 2016 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The 30-year study of 876 elderly patients by researchers at the UCLA Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh tracked the physical activity of seniors and measured the volume of parts the brain related to memory.  The results found that even moderate activity like gardening or dancing was associated with a larger brain volume and a 50 per cent decrease in the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Participants who suffered mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study also demonstrated a rise in brain volume following an increase in exercise.   In addition to relating activity level to brain volume, researchers also found that burning more calories resulted in larger brain volumes in the areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, associated with memory, learning and complex cognitive function.

To learn more visit: http://www.j-alz.com/content/different-kinds-physical-activity-shown-improve-brain-volume-and-cut-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-risk-half .