As the largest resource of information specific to women's brain health, we are sure you will find what you are looking for, and promise that you will discover new information.
Published on: April 27, 2015
by Medical XPress:
Cardiorespiratory fitness may positively impact the structure of white matter in the brains of older adults. These results suggest that exercise could be prescribed to lessen age-related declines in brain structure.
The findings, which appear online in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, are the first to show a relationship between fitness and barin structure in older adults, but not younger adults.
The researchers compared younger adults (age 18-31) to older adults (age 55-82). All participants had MRIs taken of their brains and their cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) fitness was measured while they exercised on a treadmill. The researchers found cardiorespiratory fitness was positively linked to the structural integrity of white matter fiber bundles in the brain in the older adults, while no such association was observed in younger adults.
“We found that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with enhanced brain structure in older adults,” explained corresponding author Scott Hayes, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and the associate director of the Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center at the VA Boston Healthcare System. “We found that physical activities that enhance cardiorespiratory fitness, such as walking, are inexpensive, accessible and could potentially improve quality of life by delaying cognitive decline and prolonging independent function,” he added.
According to the researchers these results provide evidence of a positive association between fitness and brain structure in older adults. “We hope this study provides additional motivation for older adults to increase their levels of physical activity, which positively impacts health, mood, cognition and the brain.” They caution that additional research is needed to track changes in fitness and brain structure over time, as well as clarify the impact of specific exercise programs (such as strength, aerobic or combined training) or dose of exercise (frequency, intensity, duration) on white matter microstructure.
Source: http://bit.ly/1GpgkMP
Join us for conversation and reception with 8-time Juno Award winning Singer-Songwriter & Actress Jann Arden, along with Your Morning Host Anne-Marie Mediwake. Whether she is captivating audiences with her heartfelt music, entertaining them with...
Chronic pain can impact everything from your mood, to your sleep to your social life. “The first things we lose are fun activities and leisure and we end up only doing what we...
A team of researchers, led by NYU Abu Dhabi Assistant Professor of Biology Mazin Magzoub, has developed small proteins called cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) that prevent the aggregation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease....
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
