Physical activity in midlife cuts dementia risk by up to 45%, study finds

Increasing physical activity According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, your chances of developing dementia in middle age or later may be reduced by up to 45%.

Researchers at Boston University School of Public Health analyzed data on more than 4,300 Framingham Heart Study offspring, all of whom were free of dementia at the start of the study.

Individuals completed a survey and reported about themselves amount of sleep Level of physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous), according to the study report.

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Study design and main findings

Researchers analyzed individuals’ physical activity across three life stages: early adulthood (26 to 44 years), midlife (45 to 64 years), and emerging adulthood (45 to 64 years). later years (65-88 years old).

According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, increasing physical activity after middle age can reduce your chances of developing dementia by up to 45%. (St. Petersburg)

They followed participants for an average of 37.2, 25.9, and 14.5 years, respectively, to monitor the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

People in the top two quintiles of physical activity in midlife were associated with a 40% lower risk of all-cause dementia over a 26-year period compared to those with the lowest activity levels.

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People in the top two quintiles of physical activity in later life were 36% to 45% less active. Dementia risk Over 15 years.

Those with the highest levels of physical activity in midlife were associated with a 40% lower risk of all-cause dementia over 26 years compared to those with the lowest levels of activity. (St. Petersburg)

“These results may help inform more precise and effective strategies to prevent or delay the onset of dementia later in life, and support evidence that the benefits of physical activity for the brain may extend earlier in life than previously thought,” study author Philip Huang, Ph.D., of the Department of Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, told FOX News Digital.

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Higher midlife activity was associated with lower dementia risk only among those without APOE4. genetic variation Associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

However, this did not apply to the group with high activity later in life, and both APOE4 carriers and those without the APOE4 gene showed a reduced risk of dementia.

The connection between exercise and the brain

“There are several mechanisms by which physical activity is thought to reduce the risk of dementia, including improving brain structure and function, reducing inflammation, and having health benefits. vascular function” Huang told FOX News Digital.

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Physical activity can also have a direct effect Alzheimer’s disease pathologyAccording to researchers, things like the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain.

Physical activity can also directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology, including the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (St. Petersburg)

“These potential mechanisms may contribute to promoting cognitive reserve and may delay cognitive impairment in later life.”

More research is needed to understand whether all of these possible causes occur simultaneously throughout a person’s life, or whether different causes emerge at different stages, the researchers said.

Expert reaction

Dr. Kathryn Devons specializes in: geriatrics Northwell Health, Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.

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Exercise can lower your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, vascular disease, cholesterol levels, and diabetes. “It reduces all these risks.” circulatory system problems to the brain,” she told FOX News Digital.

The doctor also said exercise is known to help reduce inflammation and can protect brain health.

Research limitations

One of the study’s limitations is that physical activity was based on self-reporting, Huang told FOX News Digital.

Physical activity can also directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology, including the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

“While these results indicate that higher levels of overall physical activity are associated with lower dementia risk, these results do not translate well into recommendations such as: specific exercise types” he said.

Additionally, physical activity levels in early adulthood were not associated with all-cause dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

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“Due to the small number of dementia cases in this age group, there may be a lack of power to detect an association with physical activity in early adulthood,” the authors noted.

Devons agreed that while the study may have limitations, it supports the idea that exercise lowers the risk of dementia.