A new study published in the journal Age and Ageing presents some very encouraging results. As little as five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day is enough to significantly improve cognitive health in older adults! Audrey M. Collins, the co-lead author of the study, underscores this key finding. She argues that even small doses of vigorous exercise can have a tremendous impact on slowing cognitive decline in elderly individuals.
This geolocation study analyzed the effects of daily activity level on cognitive performance. It drilled down to examine how time is used over the course of the day. In older adults, just making the transition from a completely sedentary lifestyle to doing a mere five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity resulted in noticeable increases in their processing speed. In addition, they showed increased working memory and executive function.
Collins added, “Our findings indicate that by reallocating time to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, cognitive function can be improved. This improvement happens regardless of which time use behavior the additional time is reallocated from. This highlights the importance of even small, doable changes in physical activity habits to boost brain health.”
This study underscores the need for more mechanistic knowledge regarding daily time use, its impact on cognitive function in late adulthood. Collins, the new science around dementia emphasizes physical activity as a lifestyle behavior that has significant power to prevent and mitigate cognitive decline. “Therefore, we examined 24-hour time-use composition in order to understand whether the way time is used across the day may be differentially related to cognitive function in late adulthood,” she noted.
According to Gary Small, MD, a member of the research team, the physiological benefits of aerobic exercise were remarkable. He added that it’s really important to push your body. This new work supports the important collective of heart and lungs to send oxygen and nutrients into our big brain. He went on to say that this new effort increases the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is crucial to communication between brain cells. Moreover, it fosters expansion of the hippocampal memory hub.
Collins was especially glad to remind anyone who missed it that this study demonstrates significant benefits from short bouts of physical activity. It, too, understands the restrictive barriers that older adults face. “In my experience, many older adults have physical limitations like arthritis that prevent them from being able to exercise vigorously,” she said. She emphasized the importance of accessible prevention options for people with low mobility.
The researchers found that even modest increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity could have positive impacts on cognitive health. Collins continued, “In addition, even modest increases of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can be beneficial. This finding may help motivate older adults to add short bouts of activity throughout their days.
According to the report’s findings, the key is to start looking differently at every activity we do each day. Collins noted, “In the context of cognitive function, we have often studied sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity as if they are independent of one another. Rather, these lifestyle behaviors are linked through the context of time, where we are fixed to 24-hours per day.”
Moreover, the study shows that not every domain of cognitive function will be equally adaptable to an upsurge in physical activity. This suggests that time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity does not affect each domain of cognitive function equally. Why that is, Collins said, is still speculative and will require more study.
With an aging population, knowing how physical activity can impact cognitive health is more important than ever. This deeper analysis is new and presents thrilling findings. Together, they provide a roadmap for tapping into and testing promising multi-sector strategies that improve brain health among older adults.
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