Weightlifting could cut the risk of dementia in elderly people.
According to a study carried out by Campinas University in Sao Paulo, Brazil, those who have a mild cognitive impairment - which causes people to have noticeable but not serious memory or thinking problems - could remember things better after lifting weights twice a week for half a year.
As well as improving memory, the research - which included 44 people - showed that weightlifting altered brain anatomy.
Dr. Isadora Ribeiro, a FAPESP doctoral fellowship recipient at UNICAMP's School of Medical Sciences (FCM) and first author of the article, told News Medical Life Sciences: "We already knew that there would be physical improvement.
"Cognitive improvement was also imagined, but we wanted to see the effect of weight training on the brains of older people with mild cognitive impairment.
"The study showed that, fortunately, weight training is a strong ally against dementia, even for people who are already at high risk of developing it."