A recent study published in JAMA Network Open takes a closer look at how staying physically active might help keep our minds sharp as we get older.
Conducted by Paula Iso-Markku and her team from the University of Helsinki, this research dove into the effects of physical activity on brain health over time.
By reviewing data from 104 studies that included over 341,000 people, they aimed to understand better how exercise influences our cognitive abilities as we age.
What they found was intriguing, yet it came with some caveats. Overall, people who were more active had a slightly lower risk of experiencing cognitive decline or impairment compared to those who were less active.
Specifically, the study noted a small but positive effect of physical activity on maintaining general brain function and on the ability to remember past events and use language effectively. However, the researchers pointed out that this association was very slight.
One of the key takeaways from this massive review was that the benefits of physical activity on brain health don’t seem to get stronger with more exercise or over longer periods of follow-up, especially beyond ten years.
In other words, while being active is generally good for your brain, doing more doesn’t necessarily mean better results when it comes to preventing cognitive decline.
Despite the modest impact of physical activity on cognition, the researchers emphasize an important point: even small benefits can have a big impact at the population level.
If lots of people make an effort to be slightly more active throughout their lives, it could lead to noticeable improvements in brain health across society.
This study sheds light on the complex relationship between physical activity and cognitive health in later life. It suggests that while exercise is beneficial, it’s not a magic solution for preventing cognitive decline.
Still, given the many other benefits of staying active, incorporating regular physical activity into our daily routines is a wise choice for overall health and well-being.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about inflammation that may actually slow down cognitive decline in older people, and low vitamin D may speed up cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common exercises that could protect against cognitive decline, and results showing that this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.
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