Key News in Family Medicine January 17, 2019 (5 out of 5)

Older adults who move more than the average, whether in the form of daily exercises or simply routine physical activities such as housework, may retain more memory and thinking ability than the older adults. less active than average, even if they have brain damage or biomarkers. related to dementia, according to a study of the Rush University Medical Center published on January 16, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"We measured levels of physical activity among study participants an average of two years before death, and then examined the brain tissue that was given to them after death. We also found that a more active lifestyle could have a protective effect on the brain, "said Dr. Aron S. Buchman, lead author of the discussion paper and badociate professor in the department's Neurological Sciences Center. Medical University Rush. "People who moved more had better thinking and memory skills than those who were more sedentary and did not move much at all."

The researchers discovered that movement could constitute a cognitive reserve to help maintain thought and memory when signs of Alzheimer's disease pathology were present in the brain.

Study comparing cognitive test results and activity data from 454 older adults

The study evaluated 454 elderly people; 191 had dementia and 263 did not have dementia. All participants underwent physical examinations as well as thought and memory tests each year for 20 years. Participants agreed to donate their brains for research after their deaths. The average age at death was 91 years old.

Two years before the death, researchers at Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center provided each participant with an activity monitor called an accelerometer. The wrist device monitored physical activity 24 hours a day, whether it was small movements such as walking in the house or more vigorous activities such as exercises.

The researchers collected and evaluated 7 days of movement data for each participant and calculated an average daily activity score. The results were measured in counts per day, with an overall average of 160,000 accounts per day. People without dementia had an average of 180,000 accounts per day, and people with dementia averaged 130,000 per day. The researchers found that higher levels of daily movement were related to better thinking and memory skills. The study also found that people who had better motor skills – skills that help with movement and coordination – also had better thinking and memory skills.

Few differences in activity related to large differences in dementia rates

For each increase in the physical activity of a standard deviation, participants were 31% less likely to develop dementia. For each increase in motility of a standard deviation, participants were 55% less likely to develop dementia. According to Buchman, the badyzes showed that physical activity and motor skills accounted for 8% of the difference between people's scores on thinking and memory tests.

After the death of the participants, the researchers examined the brain tissue that had been given to them, looking for lesions and biomarkers of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The relationship between activity and test scores was consistent even when the researchers adjusted the severity of participants' brain lesions. They also found that the relationship was consistent both in people with dementia and in people without dementia. The link between a higher level of physical activity and better thinking and memory skills was not related to the presence of biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

Exercise can protect the brain, but additional studies are needed

"Exercise is an inexpensive way to improve health, and our study shows that it can have a protective effect on the brain," Buchman said. "But it's important to note that our study does not show cause and effect. It is also possible that when people lose memory and thinking skills, they reduce their physical activity. More studies are needed to determine if moving more is really beneficial for the brain. "

The study was limited to the fact that it did not have data on participants' activity throughout their lives; It is therefore unknown whether physical activity at the beginning of life also played a role. In addition, the study does not include the type of physical activity, so it is difficult to determine whether one physical activity may be more beneficial than another.