A new study has revealed that engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity during middle age and maintaining fitness can help preserve brain health later in life.
The lead author of the study, "Priya Palta," an epidemiologist at the Irving Medical Center at Columbia University in New York City, stated, "Our study suggests that engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 1 hour and 15 minutes per week or more during midlife may be important for enhancing brain health and maintaining the physical structure of your brain. Specifically, involvement in more than 2.5 hours of physical activity per week during middle age was associated with fewer signs of mental brain diseases later in life."
For the study, published online on January 6 in the medical journal Neurology, Palta's team collected data from over 1,600 individuals with an average age of 53. They underwent five physical tests over 25 years and were categorized by their weekly activity levels. Brain scans were also conducted at the end of the study to measure gray and white matter and areas of injury or disease in the brain.
Researchers noted a correlation between exercise and brain health, with participants who did not engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity in midlife having a 47% higher likelihood of developing small areas of brain damage compared to those who participated in high levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity. According to the website "Newsmax," higher levels of physical activity were also associated with more intact white matter, which is tissue made up of nerve fibers that connect different areas of the brain.
Palta remarked, "Our research indicates that physical activity may affect cognition partially through its impact on small vessels in the brain. This study adds new evidence to the existing body of research showing that engaging in moderate to vigorous exercise is important for maintaining thinking skills throughout life."
