Researchers have found that regular weekly exercise reduces the rate of cognitive decline in older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In the 18-month study, 138 participants aged 50 or older were randomly allocated to a physical activity group or a normal activity group.

Participants in the normal activity group received educational material about memory loss, stress management, healthful diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking but not about physical activity. The exercise group received all of this information as well.

The participants in the exercise group engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate to intensity physical activity per week, in three 50-minute sessions each week. Walking was the most frequent type of activity, with twelve participants choosing to include some light strength training exercise in their program.

The cognitive section of the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog) was the primary outcome measure of the study. The scale consists of 11 brief cognitive tests assessing memory, language, and praxis. Scores range from 0 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater severity of cognitive impairment.

The exercise group participants improved 1.3 points on the ADAS-Cog in relation to the normal activity group after 6 months. An improvement of only 0.5 points is reported with the use of the anti Alzheimer’s drug donepezil.

The results of the trial indicate that a mere 142 minutes of exercise a week is enough to reduce risk of cognitive decline.
References:
1. Nicola T. Lautenschlager, et al. Effect of Physical Activity on Cognitive Function in Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer Disease. JAMA. 2008;300(9):1027-1037.