Could taking a walk improve your brain health? According to a new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, it might.
The study reveals that walking enhances connections in different brain networks, some of which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This adds to the evidence that exercise benefits brain health.
Walking to Remember
Published in the Journal for Alzheimer’s Disease Reports, the study looked at older adults with normal brain function and those with mild cognitive impairment.
Mild cognitive impairment involves a slight decline in mental abilities, such as memory, reasoning, and judgment, and is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
“Over time, the brain networks we studied in this research show deterioration in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease,” said J. Carson Smith, a kinesiology professor with the School of Public Health and the principal investigator of the study.
“They become disconnected, and people lose their ability to think clearly and remember things. We’re showing that exercise training can strengthen these connections.”
Walk and Talk
The participants, aged 71 to 85, walked on a treadmill four days a week for 12 weeks. Before and after this exercise regimen, they read a short story and then tried to repeat it as accurately as possible.
The researchers also used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure changes in three brain networks that control cognitive function:
- The default mode network, which is active when we’re not focused on a particular task (like daydreaming) and is connected to the hippocampus, one of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
- The frontoparietal network, which controls decisions made when we’re doing a task and involves memory.
- The salience network, which monitors the outside world and decides what deserves attention. It also helps switch between networks to improve performance.
Walking Works Wonders
After 12 weeks of exercise, the researchers tested the participants again. They found significant improvements in the participants’ ability to recall the story.
“Brain activity was stronger and more synchronized, showing that exercise can actually cause the brain to change and adapt,” Smith said.
“These results give us even more hope that exercise may be useful as a way to prevent or stabilize mild cognitive impairment and perhaps, over the long term, delay conversion to Alzheimer’s dementia.”
The researchers also saw stronger activity within the default mode network, the salience network, and the connections between all three networks.
So, it seems taking a walk might do more than just stretch your legs—it could also strengthen your brain.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and Coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports.
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