Exercise has been championed for many reasons, and a recently published paper from Canada has shown promising improvements in memory & other cognitive measures in elderly populations.
When compared to aerobic exercise (AT)-namely walking, resistance training (RT) showed enhanced cognitive performance and functional plasticity in both healthy and those already demonstrating mild cognitive impairment. The programmes were carried out twice in a week for six months.
The team from the Centre for Hip Health & Mobility at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia have importantly shown selective attention and conflict resolution functions improved with weight training, a well as associative memory: these are deemed as robust predictors for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
Nagamatsu et al (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(8):666-668 Arch Intern Med Nagamatsu et al Study) have raised the bar in terms of combating what is a global problem with dementia now being detected at one new case every 7 seconds: Mild Cognitive Impairment is a well established risk factor for dementia.
"We can't say resistance training exercise eradicates Alzheimer's disease but it does show promise in delaying the onset. It improves brain function in the processes that are associated with aging and the early stages of Alzheimer's disease," said one of the authors, Teresa Liu-Ambrose, a researcher with the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of B.C. Brain Research Centre who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at UBC and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and CIHR New Investigator scholar.
"I am already convinced of the positive effects of exercise on ageing but we need to refine the prescription for exercise through evidence. We need to be able to say who will benefit from what specific forms of exercise," Liu-Ambrose added.
Interestingly the current study involved 86 female subjects, selected because of evidence in previous research showing women derive more brain benefits from exercise. It is unclear why that is, but it could be because exercise stimulates production of circulating estrogen, encourages socialization, or some combination of both.
This paper could alter the way exercise is implemented to halt the decline opening the debate as to whether cognitive function can be altered through any means once there is impairment.
The team from the Centre for Hip Health & Mobility at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia have importantly shown selective attention and conflict resolution functions improved with weight training, a well as associative memory: these are deemed as robust predictors for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
Nagamatsu et al (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(8):666-668 Arch Intern Med Nagamatsu et al Study) have raised the bar in terms of combating what is a global problem with dementia now being detected at one new case every 7 seconds: Mild Cognitive Impairment is a well established risk factor for dementia.
"We can't say resistance training exercise eradicates Alzheimer's disease but it does show promise in delaying the onset. It improves brain function in the processes that are associated with aging and the early stages of Alzheimer's disease," said one of the authors, Teresa Liu-Ambrose, a researcher with the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of B.C. Brain Research Centre who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at UBC and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and CIHR New Investigator scholar."I am already convinced of the positive effects of exercise on ageing but we need to refine the prescription for exercise through evidence. We need to be able to say who will benefit from what specific forms of exercise," Liu-Ambrose added.
Interestingly the current study involved 86 female subjects, selected because of evidence in previous research showing women derive more brain benefits from exercise. It is unclear why that is, but it could be because exercise stimulates production of circulating estrogen, encourages socialization, or some combination of both.
This follows on to the work already completed by the same research team's Brain Power Study, published in the January 2010 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine and July 2011 issue of Neurobiology of Aging: these also demonstrated that 12 months of once-weekly or twice-weekly progressive strength training improved executive cognitive function and functional brain plasticity in healthy women aged 65- to 75-years-old and provided lasting benefits.
In the next phase of the study, researchers will analyze MRI scans of study participants who performed cognitive tasks while in the machine under-going a test called functional MRI. Previous research has shown brain volume changes with exercise in the elderly, possibly due to clearance of inflammation. Another study, for which participants are now being recruited, will look at the effects of exercise in those with vascular dementia or a history of small strokes.
The team developed and launched an informative video of the resistance training exercises used in the study.
"By developing this YouTube video we can help translate our findings directly to the senior population and fitness instructors who are working with them." says Liu-Ambrose.
"Exercise is attractive as a prevention strategy for dementia as it is universally accessible and cost-effective."
This paper could alter the way exercise is implemented to halt the decline opening the debate as to whether cognitive function can be altered through any means once there is impairment.
Thanks for great information you wrote about doing exercise to Dementia. I am very lucky to get this tips from you.
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