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April 18 - Mayo Clinic Finds Exercise
Can Reduce the Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment
A new Mayo Clinic study found that regular physical exercise
may help protect against mild cognitive impairment, a disorder
of the brain that affects nerve cells involved in thinking
abilities. This study was recently presented at the American
Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment can function reasonably
well in everyday activities but often have difficulty remembering
details of conversations, events, and upcoming appointments.
Most (but not all) patients with mild cognitive impairment
develop a progressive decline in their thinking abilities
over time. Alzheimer's disease is usually the underlying cause.
"While the benefits of exercise are well documented
for improving overall health, this is one of the first studies
to specifically look at whether it can help protect against
the development of mild cognitive impairment," says Yonas
Endale Geda, MD, a Mayo Clinic neuropsychiatrist and the study's
lead investigator.
As part of the ongoing Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, Geda and
a team of Mayo Clinic researchers randomly identified 868
individuals who were 70 to 89 years old. Of those, 128 had
mild cognitive impairment, and 740 were cognitively normal.
The team conducted surveys to gather data on the individuals'
physical exercise between the ages of 50 and 65 and one year
prior to the survey. They found that moderate physical exercise
two to five times per week during the ages of 50 to 65 was
associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment.
However, the individual's exercise habits one year prior to
the survey did not appear to be associated with a reduced
risk.
According to Geda, these findings need to be replicated in
a prospective cohort study. Additionally, the study did not
address how physical exercise could protect against mild cognitive
impairment.
"Regarding the mechanism of action of physical exercise
and mild cognitive impairment, we speculate that either exercise
induces chemicals that protect brain cells, or exercise is
simply a marker for an overall healthy lifestyle, or there
is some positive interaction among exercise, healthy lifestyle
and intellectually stimulating activity," says Geda.
Source: Mayo Clinic
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