In recent years, there has been a groundswell of science-based evidence linking the triad of (1) brain health, (2) cognitive function, and (3) aerobic fitness. Increasingly, the neuroprotective benefits of staying active and physically fit are impossible to deny.
Adding to this mountain of evidence: A new study, “Cardiorespiratory Fitness and White Matter Neuronal Fiber Integrity in Mild Cognitive Impairment,” identified a link between lower levels of fitness and faster deterioration of white matter (WM) throughout the brain. The cohort for this study consisted of older patients at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease who were showing early signs of memory loss. These findings are published in the latest Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The authors sum up their findings in the study abstract: “Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with better white matter fiber integrity, which in turn is correlated with better executive function performance in mild cognitive impairment patients.”
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Hopefully, the latest empirical evidence—in combination with the electrifying brain images above—will serve as a source of motivation for you to sit less and exercise more, regardless of your current age or state of cognitive impairment.
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Most experts agree that 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week is a target goal for most adults. That said, any amount or intensity of physical activity is always better than nothing.
Read full, original post: Can Being Out of Shape Speed Up Brain Deterioration?
