A study published in the journal ‘Alzheimers Research and Therapy’ shows that regular exercise increases blood flow to the brain and protects the growth and survival of brain cells and can help to reduce the risk of Alzheimers for those starting to struggle with their memory.
A team at Yonsei University College of Medicine in South Korea examined health records of 250,000 individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (memory loss). A questionnaire tracked their exercise habits over a six year period which showed that those who did vigorous or moderate exercise for more than ten minutes twice per week had an 11 to 18 per cent reduced risk of developing Alzheimers.
It is estimated that up to one in five of those aged over 65 have mild cognitive impairment and have a tenfold risk of developing dementia with one in every 14 people of the same age group diagnosed with the disease last year.
The study’s author Professor Hanna Cho said “We suggest that regular exercise should be recommended to all patients with mild cognitive impairment”.
