Many studies have proven how exercise improves brain health and you may have noticed that after your workout you have an improved ability to focus. New research shows that we can keep our brain younger with consistent aerobic exercise, resulting in clearer thinking, better memory, and improved mental well-being as we age.
A new study in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, looked at the effects of exercise and your brain. Specifically, whether regular aerobic exercise could slow or even reverse what scientists refer to as “brain age.” Brain age is estimated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to show how old the brain appears compared to your actual age. A higher brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) means the brain looks older. Previous studies have shown how this measure is linked to weaker physical and cognitive performance and a higher risk of death.
The study
130 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 58 were randomly assigned to a year long exercise program or in the control group. The adults who were in the exercise group did two, supervised, 60 minute aerobic exercise sessions per week, and one home-based exercise workout. The researchers aimed for the exercise group to get approximately 150 minute of aerobic activity per week for one year. All participants had brain structure measured with MRIs and cardiorespiratory fitness tests that measured V02 Max at the start and end of the year.
Did one year make a difference?
Yes, one year of getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise changes your brain. Those who exercised reduced their brain age by 0.6 years and those who didn’t had brains that were approximately 0.35 years older, meaning that the exercise group had almost a full year younger brain age.
Why did exercise reduce ageing?
The research team looked at a variety of factors to explain the reduced brain age, including improved fitness, healthier body composition, lowered blood pressure, and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports brain plasticity. However, none of these factors explained the changes in brain age.
Dr. Lu Wan, lead author and data scientist at the AdventHealth Research Institute says,
We expected improvements in fitness or blood pressure to account for the effect, but they didn’t. Exercise may be acting through additional mechanisms we haven’t captured yet, such as subtle changes in brain structure, inflammation, vascular health or other molecular factors.
In other words there are more benefits to exercise that we don’t yet understand.
What else is important?
There are studies on older adults that show exercise is critical for maintaining independence, health and cognition, but this study looked at the benefits of exercise before any brain changes become noticeable.
Dr. Kirk I. Erickson, senior author of the study, neuroscientist and director at AdventHealth Research Institute and the University of Pittsburgh says,
Intervening in the 30s, 40s and 50s gives us a head start. If we can slow brain aging before major problems appear, we may be able to delay or reduce the risk of later-life cognitive decline and dementia.
Exercise for brain health
Keeping our brain healthy is one of the benefits we get from regular aerobic exercise and we know that strength training benefits our brain too. Another reminder that regular exercise has short term and long term benefits for your body and your brain.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
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