Exercise Can Boost Brain Power
Physical activity can slow cognitive decline, says UBC physical therapist
Teresa Liu-Ambrose’s work on aging, mobility and the brain will be a highlight of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, a major new research and clinical facility opening later this month.
How does physical activity benefit cognitive function?
There’s increasing evidence, including our own research, that shows some physical exercises can improve memory and executive functions in older adults. Executive functions include problem-solving and decision-making. These functions are necessary for independent living and are affected by conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementias.
Dr. Teresa Liu Ambrose PhD, PT (credit:ubc.ca)
But not all exercise is created equal when it comes to warding off dementia?
That’s correct. In 2012, we conducted the world’s first randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of cardio exercise and weight training on cognitive functions in women who were beginning to show signs of early dementia. We found that only participants who did weight training showed significant improvements in both memory and executive functions. This is in contrast to earlier studies on healthy participants that showed cardio exercises to be beneficial. When we performed neuroimaging, we also observed areas of the brain responsible for memory and executive functions showing more neural activity after weight training.
What does this mean for seniors and the rest of society?
The take-home message is that even if you are beginning to see signs of cognitive impairment, the brain is still capable of rebounding with the right kind of physical activity. Weight training, even as little as once or twice a week, can minimize the rate of cognitive decline and change the disease course.
Our recent study also shows that older adults who do cardio exercise and weight training also incurred fewer health care resources, such as doctor visits and lab tests, compared to those on a balance and toning program alone (yoga and pilates). So choosing the right exercise has implications for both the overall health of seniors and for managing health care costs.
Note: Teresa Liu-Ambrose is an associate professor in UBC’s Dept. of Physical Therapy and research director of the Vancouver General Hospital Falls Prevention Clinic. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience and leads UBC’s Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory.
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Aerobic Exercise May Help Older Women at Risk for Dementia
Regular aerobic workouts increase the size of the brain’s memory area in older women and may help slow the progression of dementia, according to a small new study.
It included 86 women, aged 70 to 80, who had mild memory problems, also known as “mild cognitive impairment,” which researchers say is a common risk factor for dementia. The women also underwent MRIs to assess the size of their hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning.
The study, conducted by Teresa Liu-Ambrose and her colleagues at the physical therapy department of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, was published online April 8 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
For six months, the women did twice weekly hour-long sessions of either aerobic exercise (brisk walking); resistance training such as weights, lunges and squats, or balance and muscle toning exercises.
Twenty-nine of the women had their hippocampus size checked again after completing these exercise programs. Those who did the full six months of aerobic training showed significant enlargement of the hippocampus, but this change did not occur in those from the other groups, according to a journal news release.
However, there was some indication that the increase in hippocampus size was associated with poorer verbal memory, the researchers reported.
This suggests that the link between brain volume and mental abilities is complex and requires more research, the authors said. While the study found an association between aerobic exercise and hippocampus size, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
However, the authors said that the findings do indicate that aerobic exercise does slow the shrinkage of the hippocampus in women who are at risk of developing dementia. They recommended regular aerobic exercise to keep mild cognitive impairment at bay.
A new case of dementia is diagnosed worldwide every four seconds, and the number of people with dementia is expected to rise to more than 115 million by 2050, according to the researchers.
source: healthday.com
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Physical Activity to Promote Brain Health
source: Alberta Center for Active Living