Exercise slows Alzheimer's Disease, study says

Exercising several times a week can delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease in people at high risk of the disease, said scientists from the Southwest Medical Center of the University of Texas in the US.

The scientists conducted a study involving 70 people over 55 years old, MedicalXress reported. 

As it turned out, in people with an accumulation of beta-amyloids in the hippocampus (this is considered a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease) as a result of regular aerobic training during the year, the development of the disease slows down.

Although exercises did not prevent the occurrence of amyloid plaques, which are believed to play an important role in neuronal death, they are effective in the early stages of the disease and inhibit its development.

As you know, in people with a low level of physical fitness, the volume of vital nerve fibers in the brain called white matter decreases faster than in physically active ones. The results of experiments on mice also showed that exercises correlate with a slower deterioration of the hippocampus - the part of the brain that is responsible for the formation of long-term memory.

Scientists plan to conduct another study involving 600 older people with a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the study will be to find out whether aerobic exercise and medication to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol can help maintain brain volume and cognitive abilities.

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