Regular exercise may keep your brain and thinking skills 10 years younger
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 31-01-2019
Heart It
Dr Stern said: 'Since a difference of 0.5 standard deviations is equivalent to 20 years of age-related difference in performance on these tests, the people who exercised were testing as if they were about 10 years younger at age 40 and about 20 years younger at age 60.' He added: 'Since thinking skills at the start of the study were poorer for participants who were older, our findings suggest that aerobic exercise is more likely to improve age-related declines in thinking skills rather than improve performance in those without a decline.'
None of the participants smoked or had dementia. They also did not exercise at the start of the study and had below average fitness levels. The aerobic and stretching groups were equally balanced for age, sex, education as well as memory and thinking skills at the outset.
They worked out at a fitness center and checked in weekly with coaches monitoring their progress. They all wore heart rate monitors as well. Thinking and memory skills were evaluated at the start as well as at three months and at the end of the six-month period.
Participants in the exercise group ramped up their activity during the first month. During the remainder of the study they trained at 75 percent of their maximum heart rate. People in the stretching and toning group did exercises to promote flexibility and core strength.
Researchers measured participants' aerobic capacity using a cycling machine called an ergometer that estimates exercise intensity. Participants also had MRI brain scans at the start and end. This identified an increase in the thickness of the outer layer of the brain in the left frontal area in all the aerobics group - suggesting it contributes to brain fitness at all ages. 'Our research confirms that exercise can be beneficial to adults of any age,' said Dr Stern.
source: dailymail