Daily Movement — Even Household Chores — May Boost Brain Health In Elderly

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/16/684589375/daily-movement-even-household-chores-may-boost-brain-health-in-elderly

Jan. 16, 2019

Want to reduce your risk of dementia in older age? Move as much as you can.

We've all heard about techniques to get us more physically active — take the stairs, park the car a bit further from your destination, get up and march in place for a minute or two when standing or sitting at a desk.

Now a study finds even simple housework like cooking or cleaning may make a difference in brain health in our 70s and 80s.

"Exercise is an inexpensive way to improve health and our study shows it may have a protective effect on the brain," says Dr. Aron S. Buchman with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who led the study.

Previous research found just 45 minutes of walking three days a week actually increased brain volume among individuals 65 and older.

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The findings show that higher levels of daily movement were linked to better thinking and memory skills, as measured by the yearly cognitive tests. And when Buchman analyzed brain tissue under a microscope, this finding turned out to be the case even for individuals with at least three signs of Alzheimer's disease, such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Even though these individuals might have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, 30 percent of them had "normal" cognition at death, says Buchman.

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And, while intense activity and exercise is highly beneficial, even light activity can make a difference, says Buchman. "As long as you have some activity and you're moving, whether you're chopping onions, typing, sweeping the floor or even running," you can reduce your risk of cognitive decline.

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While previous research suggests that people may be able to beat back dementia with exercise, Buchman acknowledges that "more studies are needed to determine if moving more is truly beneficial to the brain."