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There is growing evidence that physical activity has neuroprotective benefits. Many studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are more likely to maintain the volume of gray matter and the integrity of the white substance throughout their lives. (See here, here, here and here.) In addition, staying physically active as you age can help prevent the onset of dementia and cognitive decline.
That said, the $ 1 million question remains: What is the optimal "dose" (intensity × duration) of weekly physical activity needed to promote healthy brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia in a person?
To answer this question, a team of researchers affiliated with BUSM (School of Medicine) at Boston University and the Framingham Heart Study analyzed data from 2,354 participants from the community who agreed to walk every step of the way. day, with intensity and daily walking time (eg, occasional walks or fast walks) – monitored over a four-year period. Participants also agreed to have an MRI to measure the total brain volume (TCBV).
Source: James Wheeler / Pexels
According to the authors, the purpose of this study was "to evaluate the association between the total number of steps taken per day and the total dose (intensity × duration) of physical activity (AP ) with brain volumes in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at Framingham Heart Study participants. "
After more than three years of analyzing data, these findings were published today by JAMA Network open now in an article titled "Physical Activity Association Measured by Accelerometer with Brain Volume". The main finding of this research was that walking 10,000 steps or more per day was associated with higher total brain volumes compared to participants walking at less than 5,000 steps per day.
This research was conducted by Nicole Spartano, Assistant Professor of Medical Research at BUSM. In a statement, she said:
"Each additional hour of light-intensity physical activity was associated with higher brain volumes, even in people who did not meet current physical activity guidelines. These data are consistent with the notion that the potential benefits of physical activity on brain aging may increase to a lower level of intensity or volume, more achievable. "
The most recent guidelines on physical activity for Americans (Piercy et al., 2018) recommend that adults strive to practice 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week (about 21, 4 minutes a day) to maximize the health benefits of staying physically active. Unfortunately, this level of weekly MVPA is impossible for many people. Therefore, the guidelines emphasize that any "dose" of physical activity is better than nothing.
In the Discussion section of their article, Spartano et al. to write:
"Our observations support this new update of the guidelines, suggesting that incremental AP was associated with greater total brain volume at a relatively low intensity threshold (measured by intensity-related AP). However, we found that VPA was not significantly associated with brain volume after adjusting for the AP's light intensity suggesting that it was not Is not clear if individuals can expect additional profit with higher intensity activity. "
What doses of physical activity offer what benefits?
Starting from the assumption that exercise is a medicine, researchers continue to take stock of the benefits of various prescriptive doses of physical activity.
For example, the results of another four-year study (Dunlop et al., 2019) involving 1,564 adults over 49 years of age on the benefits of walking were published earlier this month. This study found that the baseline was 56 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity walking to avoid immobility in the elderly. (See "8 minutes of walking a day could change your life.")
As another example of the brain's "dose-response" benefits of physical activity at a light intensity, a study from last year (Suwabe et al., 2018) revealed that a single exercise 10-minute light physics seemed to improve brain connectivity and memory.
"We have just begun to discover the link between physical activity and brain health," Spartano said in a statement. It also highlights the importance for researchers to explore the adverse effects of physical inactivity and poor cardiovascular fitness (Spartano et al., 2016) on total brain volume brain and healthy brain aging in community cohorts representing diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups (see "Can the brain size of a potato be reduced"?).
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