The adage 'healthy body, healthy mind' really IS true, scientists say

April 21, 2018  14:08

There may be some truth in the old adage of 'healthy body, healthy mind'.

How physically strong someone is in middle-age can predict how healthy their brains are.

As The Daily Mail reports, people with a stronger hand grip are better at problem-solving, memory tests and reasoning, while having faster reaction times, a study found.

A database of more than 475,000 people showed those with more muscle strength in their hands appeared to have better brains. 

The research, led by the University of Manchester, suggests that exercise could be a good way to boost brainpower.

It could be that inflammation, a process in the body which leads to cognitive decline, also makes people weaker.

Previous findings show people with a less impressive hand grip also have more degradation of white matter - the cells which act like cables to link up brain regions and are important for thought and decision-making.

The latest study found people with a stronger grip could solve more logic problems in two minutes and remember more numbers from a list, as well as reacting more quickly to visual stimuli, remembering instructions after a delay and displaying spatial skills.

Lead author Dr Joseph Firth, an honorary research fellow at The University of Manchester and research fellow at Western Sydney University, said: 'We can see there is a clear connection between muscular strength and brain health.

'But really, what we need now, are more studies to test if we can actually make our brains healthier by doing things which make our muscles stronger - such as weight-training.'

A weak grip in older people, measured using a hydraulic grip measurement machine, has been linked to a higher risk of falls, frailty and broken bones.

It is better than blood pressure for predicting someone's risk of heart problems, previous studies have shown. 

But while evidence also links hand grip and brainpower, prior research is mostly in older people.

The latest findings show hand grip can predict the mental abilities in people aged 40 to 55, as well as those over 55, based on the UK Biobank database of half a million people.

Using data from 475,397 participants across the UK, the study shows on average, stronger people perform better across every test of brain functioning used.

The five tests were for reaction time, reasoning, numeric memory, spatial memory and prospective memory - whether participants acted on a previous instruction following a time delay.

The study, published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin, also linked grip to visual memory and reaction time in more than 1,000 people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

Dr Firth said: 'When taking multiple factors into account such as age, gender, bodyweight and education, our study confirms that people who are stronger do indeed tend to have better functioning brains.'

Previous evidence suggests older people who exercise to improve their muscular strength can improve their brain function. 

The study author added: 'These sorts of novel interventions, such as weight training, could be particularly beneficial for people with mental health conditions.' 

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