People who move more in old age have sharper thinking and memory skills compared to those who didn’t move much at all
Older adults who move more, either with daily exercise or even simple routine physical activity like housework, may preserve more of their memory and thinking skills. This holds even if they have brain lesions or biomarkers linked to dementia, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology®.
“We found movement may essentially provide a reserve to help maintain thinking and memory skills when there are signs of dementia present in the brain,” said study author Aron S. Buchman, MD, of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study included 454 older adults who were given physical exams and thinking and memory tests every year for 20 years. Participants agreed to donate their brains for research upon death. 191 participants had dementia and 263 did not, and the average age at death was 91.
For every increase in physical activity by one standard deviation, participants were 31 percent less likely to develop dementia. For every increase in motor ability by one standard deviation, participants were 55 percent less likely to develop dementia
Each participant was given a wrist-worn activity monitor called an accelerometer which  monitored physical activity around the clock, everything from small movements such as walking around the house to more vigorous movements like exercise routines. The results were measured in counts per day and people without dementia had an average of 180,000 counts per day and people with dementia had an average of 130,000 counts per day.
After death, researchers examined the brain tissue of each participant, looking for lesions and biomarkers of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers found that higher levels of daily movement were linked to better thinking and memory skills. The study also found that people who had better motor skills, skills that help with movement and coordination, also had better thinking and memory skills.
For every increase in physical activity by one standard deviation, participants were 31 percent less likely to develop dementia. For every increase in motor ability by one standard deviation, participants were 55 percent less likely to develop dementia.
The relationship between activity and test scores was consistent in people who had brain lesion or dementia and people who did not have either.
The link between a higher level of physical activity and better thinking and memory skills was unrelated to the presence of biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. “Exercise is an inexpensive way to improve health, and our study shows it may have a protective effect on the brain,” said Buchman.
