Exercising twice a week can help prevent dementia

PEOPLE with memory issues could prevent the onset of dementia by exercising more than once a week, suggests a study.

Regular sessions are said to boost molecules that support the growth of neurons and increase blood flow to the brain.

Researchers examined the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s in nearly 250,000 patients with mild cognitive impairment, people who had more problems with memory and thinking than was normal for their age.

Risk

People with mild cognitive impairment are 10 times more likely to develop the disease when compared with the general population.

Researchers found those who carried out moderate physical activity for at least 10 minutes more than once a week had an 18 per cent lower risk of developing the condition.

Among people who exercised, those who exercised three to five times per week had a 15 per cent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s than those who exercised less. Starting exercise after a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment resulted in an 11 per cent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, while stopping exercise after diagnosis was associated with the same risk of developing the disease as not exercising before or after diagnosis.

Dr Hanna Cho, of Yonsei University College of Medicine in South Korea, said: “Our findings indicate that regular physical activity may protect against the conversion of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.

“We suggest that regular exercise should be recommended to patients with mild cognitive impairment.

“Even if a person with mild cognitive impairment did not exercise regularly before their diagnosis, our results suggest that starting to exercise regularly after diagnosis could significantly lower their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

The study examined health records of people diagnosed with mild issues in Korea from 2009 to 2015, with the average age between 64 and 69. The results were published in the Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy journal.