More Evidence of the Brain-Body Health Connection: Cardio Fitness Early in Life Gives a Boost to Memory Later in Life

Evidence of the Brain-Body Health Connection:`In recent years, there have been a number of studies concluding  that people who are more active and engage in cardiovascular fitness exercise when they are young are more likely to remain physically healthy when they are older. The most recent studies are starting to emphasize more of the body-mind connection, and indicate that people who are more physically active in their youth are actually strengthening their minds and preserving their memories as they age.

Those are the findings of a recent study performed at the University of Minneapolis in Minnesota, and published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. In the over-20-year study, 2,747 healthy people with an average age of 25 had their physical fitness tested via treadmill tests similar to cardiovascular “stress tests.” The pace of the treadmill was slowly increased and the incline of the treadmill was raised over a period of time, and the participants continued running or walking until they could not continue or started to show signs of shortness of breath. The young participants lasted an average of 10 minutes.

20 years later, the same participants were asked to perform the same treadmill tests, and the differences between the two were analyzed. Naturally, there was some decline in performance, with most participants lasting on the treadmill an average of 2.9 minutes less. But participants in the second set of treadmill tests were also asked to perform tests of their verbal memory, psychomotor speed (the relationship between thinking skills and physical movements), and cognitive abilities.

For every minute that subjects had lasted longer in the first treadmill test (when they were 20 years younger), they were able to remember 8% more words during the verbal memory. Those who performed better on the earlier treadmill tests also did much better on the executive function test, in which they were asked to identify the correct ink color of the name of a color flashed in front of them.

Commenting on the significance of the results, study author David R. Jacobs, Jr. says, “…studies in older individuals have shown that these tests are among the strongest predictors of developing dementia in the future. One study showed that every additional word remembered on the memory test was associated with an 18-percent decrease in the risk of developing dementia after 10 years. These findings are likely to help us earlier identify and consequently prevent or treat those at high risk of developing dementia.”

Extrapolating from the findings, Dr. Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK says, “A growing body of evidence suggests exercise may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and much research has shown a link between healthy habits in mid-life and better health in old age. Investment in research is vital to better understand how we can protect our brains as we age. While we don’t currently have a certain way to prevent dementia, evidence shows we can lower our risk with a healthy, balanced diet, regular exercise, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure and weight in check.”

So the clear message from this study is that if you are still young, one of the ways you can help to protect yourself from memory loss and cognitive decline as you get older is to continue that running, jogging, or walking program you started as your New Year’s Resolution.