Regular Physical Activity Might Protect Against Mental Deterioration over Long Term
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have found that maintaining high levels of physical fitness may help protect the brain from age-related shrinkage and cognitive decline, potentially reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, focused on 172 healthy but sedentary adults aged 22 to 81 from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Participants underwent cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) testing, cognitive assessments, and brain MRI scans.
The CRF was measured through peak oxygen consumption, an established indicator of cardiovascular and pulmonary efficiency during physical exertion. The findings suggest that higher levels of CRF are associated with greater preservation of brain volume, particularly in the right superior parietal region, which is associated with reasoning, memory, and fluency.
Dr. Rong Zhang, senior author of the study, stated that age-related brain atrophy is a significant risk factor for ADRD. The association held steady even after controlling for factors such as sex, education, and intracranial volume. The protective effect of physical fitness on brain volume was consistent in both men and women, supporting the importance of lifelong physical activity for cognitive health.
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and was conducted in collaboration with the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas and cognitive researchers at UT Dallas, under the direction of Dr. Junyeon Won, a postdoctoral research fellow.
The findings could influence public health strategies aimed at slowing the progression of dementia through lifestyle changes. These strategies primarily emphasize promoting regular physical exercise to maintain brain health and cognitive function.
Encouraging aerobic and moderate-to-high intensity physical exercise across all ages, especially in older adults, is crucial to preserve brain volume (including hippocampal regions) and cognitive function. Incorporating physical activity programs that enhance cardiovascular fitness is also important, as this is associated with increased neuroplasticity, brain tissue preservation, and reduced neurodegeneration risk.
Developing community and clinical interventions that combine physical exercise with cognitive challenges can maximize brain health benefits and boost neurotrophic factors like BDNF linked to neuronal survival and growth. Promoting physical activity as part of healthy aging policies can mitigate age-related cognitive decline and neuropathology burden, potentially delaying or lowering Alzheimer's disease incidence.
Integrating physical fitness into broader lifestyle recommendations, including diet and mental health support, can combat multifactorial neurodegenerative processes by leveraging exercise-driven autophagy and neurotrophic signaling pathways.
These strategies reflect an increasing recognition of physical fitness not only as a general health measure but also as a therapeutic and preventive public health tool against dementia-related brain changes and cognitive impairment. Public health programs may focus on accessible exercise promotion, monitoring fitness and cognitive health in older adults, and education on the neuroprotective effects of physical activity.
In conclusion, the study findings support the notion that engaging in physical activity may reduce the risk of ADRD. By promoting regular exercise and incorporating physical activity programs that enhance cardiovascular fitness, public health strategies can aim to slow brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Science has shown that maintaining high levels of physical fitness, as measured by cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), can help preserve brain volume and cognitive function, potentially reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This evidence suggests that fitness-and-exercise plays a crucial role in health-and-wellness, and could be a therapeutic and preventive public health tool against medical-conditions such as dementia.
