Regular Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Dementia in Older People

26th November 2012

Regular physical activity may help older people reduce their chances of getting dementia.

In a new study published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, older, non-disabled people who regularly engaged in physical activity reduced their risk of vascular-related dementia by 40 percent and cognitive impairment of any etiology by 60 percent.

The protective effect of regular physical activity remained regardless of age, education, changes in the brain’s white matter and even previous history of stroke or diabetes.

The findings are based on a prospective multinational European study that included yearly comprehensive cognitive assessments for three years. The results are part of increasing evidence that regular physical activity promotes brain health, researchers said.

Ana Verdelho et al. Physical Activity Prevents Progression for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Dementia Results From the LADIS (Leukoaraiosis and Disability) Study. Stroke, 2012 DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.661793

Categories: Sport & Exercise, Healthy Aging