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 Among the many options for working out over 50, tai chi may have the
biggest effect on cognitive function, but aerobic and resistance
exercises may also have some benefit, the review found.
“Age is a risk factor no one can avoid when it comes to cognitive
decline and other neurological disorders such as dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease,” said lead study author Joe Northey of the
University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise in
Australia.
“As our study shows, undertaking just a few days of moderate
intensity aerobic and resistance training during the week is a
simple and effective way to improve the way your brain functions
while also reducing the impact of other risk factors for cognitive
decline such as obesity and diabetes,” Northey said by email.
Some previous research suggests that heart-healthy lifestyle choices
like avoiding cigarettes, eating a balanced diet and getting plenty
of exercise may help stall the cognitive decline that happens with
age, but these studies offer a mixed picture of what type of
activity is best.
For the current review, Northey and colleagues analyzed data from 36
previously published studies looking at how much the intensity and
frequency of different types of exercise was associated with
improvements in cognitive function in people 50 and older.
Studies in the analysis were controlled experiments that randomly
assigned some participants to specific exercise interventions to
assess how activity influenced cognition.
While researchers included people with varying levels of cognitive
ability, they excluded patients with a history of stroke, depression
or other mental illnesses.
Across all the studies, they compared the average amount of
improvement for different types of exercises and found the largest
gains associated with tai chi, a Chinese meditation practice that
combines deep breathing and slow, fluid movements.
Aerobic exercise, resistance training and workouts that blended
different types of physical activity were also associated with gains
in cognitive function, but didn’t have as much of an effect as tai
chi, researchers report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
In particular, working memory improved with tai chi and resistance
training, which was also associated with gains in executive
function.
Yoga had a slight impact on brain function, but it was too small to
rule out the possibility that it was due to chance.
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Workouts of 45 to 60 minutes were associated with significant
improvements in cognitive function, which weren’t seen with shorter
or longer exercise sessions.
As for the intensity of workouts, light exercise didn’t have an
effect on cognitive function but both moderate and vigorous exercise
was associated with similar and meaningful gains, the study found.
Exercising more often was associated with bigger gains in cognitive
ability, but there was still an improvement with no more than two
workouts a week, the study found.
One limitation of the study is that the analysis focused on
supervised exercise interventions, which might not reflect what
people would do in the real world, the authors note.
Still, the study offers fresh evidence that the biggest benefits of
exercise on brain health are expected with higher amounts, like 45
minutes or more multiple times a week, said Dr. Jeffrey Burns,
co-director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center
in Kansas City.
“More exercise is likely better for driving brain benefits than
modest amounts but we also know that some is better than none,
especially for other physical benefits,” Burns, who wasn’t involved
in the study, said by email. “So the key message from this study is
don't just exercise for heart health, exercise also to promote your
brain health.”
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2q9rRPG British Journal of Sports Medicine,
online April 24, 2017.
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