Exotiful

Regular exercise of any intensity — even simple stretching and balance moves — can protect the brain health of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, according to research presented at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in San Diego.

Researchers found that older adults who engaged in either moderate/high-intensity aerobic training or low-intensity stretching, balance, and range-of-motion exercises for 12 months showed no decline from their baseline in terms of cognitive function. That’s according to lead study author Laura Baker, PhD, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who spoke at the AAIC conference.

“There is increasing evidence that our health overall greatly impacts our brain,” said Maria Carrillo, PhD, chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, who was not involved in the study. Previous research has found that regular physical activity of any kind may reduce damaging inflammation and increase blood flow to the brain, she said.