Brain Research: Regular aerobic exercise can significantly reduce Alzheimer's disease markers

Regular aerobic exercise can significantly reduce markers of Alzheimer's disease, a study by scientists from the University of Bristol (UK) and the Federal University of São Paulo (Brazil) has found. The findings offer new hope in the fight against this devastating disease.

The study, which is published in the journal Brain Research, emphasizes that physical activity not only protects healthy brain cells, but also restores balance in the aging brain.

The study focused on the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for memory and learning, and measured the effects of aerobic exercise on key markers of Alzheimer's disease: amyloid plaques, tau bundles and iron accumulation in myelin-producing cells known as oligodendrocytes. These markers are central to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.

The results of the study showed that rodents that performed a structured aerobic exercise program exhibited:

A significant reduction in the number of tau ligaments (by about 63%), amyloid plaques (by about 76% in the exercise group), and iron accumulation (by about 58% in the brains of the exercise rodents).

Increased brain cell health, including an increase in the number of protective oligodendrocytes.

Reduced brain inflammation in the exercise group (55 to 68%, depending on the inflammatory biomarker in question) and cell death.

Improved communication between brain cells, restoring a critical balance in brain function as the brain ages.