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Walk much? It may protect your memory down
the road
October 2010-- New research suggests that
walking at least six miles per week may
protect brain size and in turn, preserve
memory in old age, according to a study
published in the October 13, 2010, online
issue ofNeurology®, the
medical journal of the American Academy of
Neurology.
"Brain size shrinks in late adulthood, which
can cause memory problems. Our results
should encourage well-designed trials of
physical exercise in older adults as a
promising approach for preventing dementia
and Alzheimer's disease," said study author
Kirk I. Erickson, PhD, with the University
of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh.
For the study, 299 dementia-free people
recorded the number of blocks they walked in
one week. Then nine years later, scientists
took brain scans of the participants to
measure their brain size. After four more
years, the participants were tested to see
if they had developed cognitive impairment
or dementia.
The study found that people who walked at
least 72 blocks per week, or roughly six to
nine miles, had greater gray matter volume
than people who didn't walk as much, when
measured at the nine-year time point after
their recorded activity. Walking more than
72 blocks did not appear to increase gray
matter volume any further.
By four years later, 116 of the
participants, or 40 percent, had developed
cognitive impairment or dementia. The
researchers found that those who walked the
most cut their risk of developing memory
problems in half.
"If regular exercise in midlife could
improve brain health and improve thinking
and memory in later life, it would be one
more reason to make regular exercise in
people of all ages a public health
imperative," said Erickson.
###
The study was supported by the National
Institute on Aging.
The American Academy of Neurology, an
association of more than 22,000 neurologists
and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated
to promoting the highest quality
patient-centered neurologic care. A
neurologist is a doctor with specialized
training in diagnosing, treating and
managing disorders of the brain and nervous
system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine,
Huntington's disease, and dementia.
For more information about the American Academy
of Neurology, visithttp://www.aan.com.
