A recent study revealed that boosting exercise in middle age may assist people prevent neurodegenerative disorder, Alzheimer’s disease.
Individuals who increased their exercise to meet recommended guidelines between the ages of 45 and 65 had decreased accumulation of amyloid beta.
It's a toxic protein that forms plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, according to researchers reported in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
The association was dose-dependent, researchers said — the more people raised their activity, the more the reduction in amyloid beta in their brains.
Active individuals indicated less age-related shrinkage in brain areas linked with Alzheimer’s.
“Even those who did less physical activity than recommended had greater cortical thickness than sedentary people, suggesting that any amount of exercise, no matter how minimal, has health benefits,” lead investigator, a researcher with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health in Spain Müge Akinci stated.
Up to13% of Alzheimer’s disease cases throughout the world can be attributed to a lack of physical activity.
How exercise is associated with improved brain health?
For the study, researchers monitored the brain health of 337 individuals from different countries, including Catalonia, and Spain, who participated in a long-term study of Alzheimer’s disease.
They revealed that raising physical activity over time instead of hitting a fixed exercise target may enhance your brain health and minimise Alzheimer’s risk.
Using physical activity questionnaires and brain scans over four years, researchers underscored the significance of fostering exercise in middle age.
