Exercise and Aging Brain: Physical Activity Affects Mental Health

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Just how much exercise is enough exercise to maintain brain function in older adults? A study by researchers from the University of Kansas' Alzheimer's Disease Center and Medical Center found that 75 minutes of exercise per week is enough to improve the ability to think. The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Study author Dr. Jeffrey Burns and colleagues wanted to find out how much exercise is needed for the aging brain. For the research, scientists employed the help of approximately 100 generally healthy senior citizens with no dementia or other forms of thinking impairments.

As a baseline for the study, scientists tested the volunteers and made them answer a series of tests to measure their cognitive and memory skills, as well as their physical fitness.

The volunteers were assigned to different groups with specific exercise regimens and followed for 26 weeks. The particular age group was chosen by the researchers because it is typically at this age that patients begin showing symptoms of cognitive decline.

After the study period, the researchers found that the group assigned to exercise for 75 minutes a week was almost on par with the groups that exercised for 150 and 225 minutes weekly respectively. According to Newsmax, the current federal recommendation for exercise is 150 minutes per week.

The groups were then once again brought in a lab to be tested to find out if the physical exercises made any improvements.

According The New York Times, groups that exercised more only scored a bit better on cognitive tests than those who exercised for 75 minutes. However, those who exercised more were more physically fit and garnered other positive health effects.

In conclusion, making brisk walking a weekly habit could help maintain the brain's cognitive function, according to Dr. Burns.

In addition to cognitive improvement, exercise can be beneficial in other aspects of a senior's life. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Senior Health, exercise can help prevent or delay many chronic conditions and diseases. These diseases include heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes.

Regular and moderate physical exercise can also help improve mood by reducing feelings of depression. It can also help manage stress.

According to Today's Geriatric Medicine, other types of exercises that could be recommended for seniors are endurance exercises like jogging, dancing and strength training such as lifting and pushing free weights. They can also do balance exercises and stretching exercises.