Scientists from the State University of Campinas in São Paulo, Brazil, have found in a new study that regular strength training helps slow down brain aging process, protecting him from the risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study involved 44 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Their brains were somewhere in between the normal aging process and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. At this age, cognitive decline can be much more severe than one might expect, indicating a high risk of further dementia development.
The study results showed that regular strength training not only improve memory functioningbut, also lead to positive changes in brain structure. Six months of regular strength training twice a week helped protect the study participants from hippocampal and prefrontal atrophy, both of which are linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, strength exercises had an impact on neuronal recovery.
«We already knew there would be physical improvement. Cognitive improvement was also anticipated, but we wanted to see the effects of strength training on the brains of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The study showed that, fortunately, strength training is a strong ally in the fight against dementia, even for people who are already at high risk of developing it», — explains Isadora Ribeiro, a researcher at the School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
According to the head of the study, Marcio Balthazar, in addition to neuropsychological testing, the researchers also conducted MRI scanning of the brain of the study participants at the beginning and end of the study. The results showed the need to include more physical education teachers in the general health care system at the primary health care level, as increased muscle mass is associated with a decrease in the development of dementia.
«It is a less complicated and cheaper treatment that can protect people from serious diseases For example, new anti-amyloid drugs approved in the US for the treatment of dementia and people with mild cognitive impairment cost about 30 thousand US dollars a year. This is a very high price. These non-pharmacological measures, as we have shown in the case of strength training, are effective not only in preventing dementia but also in improving mild cognitive impairment», — emphasizes Marcio Balthazar.
The study participants were divided into two groups. Half of them were involved in a strength training program with appropriate training twice a week with moderate to high intensity and progressive loads. The other half did not exercise during the study period and were included in the so-called control group.
At the end of the study, the results of the analyses showed that the volunteers who exercised regularly demonstrated better verbal episodic memory, improved neuronal integrity, and protection of areas associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, the control group showed a deterioration in all these indicators.
«A characteristic of people with mild cognitive impairment is that they experience volume loss in some areas of the brain associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. However, in the group that engaged in strength training, the right side of the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobe were protected from atrophy. This result justifies the importance of regular strength training, especially for older people», — says Isadora Ribeiro.
In her opinion, a longer training period could lead to even better results. The researcher emphasized that five of the study participants showed indicators at the end of the study that indicated the absence of even mild cognitive impairment. The scientist emphasized that, for example, strength training for three years can completely eliminate cognitive impairment and the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
«Any kind of exercise, whether strength training or aerobic activity, is known to increase the level of a chemical involved in brain cell growth. They can also mobilize anti-inflammatory T-cells. This is the key. Ultimately, the more pro-inflammatory protein is released in the body, the higher the likelihood of developing dementia, accelerating the neurodegenerative process, and forming dysfunctional proteins that eventually kill neurons This is a continuation of that research, in which we will try to better understand how these factors are related to changes in brain anatomy. We believe that it is a combination of anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective factors that leads to these changes», — emphasized Marcio Balthazar.
Oleksandr Fedotkin