Taking part in a specific type of exercise could help lower your risk of a devastating condition. A new study has pinpointed a physical activity that plays a role in minimising your chances of developing dementia.
Dementia is a syndrome that leads to the progressive decline of the brain. This results in symptoms such as memory loss and behavioural changes.
It is thought there are currently more than 55 million people living with dementia worldwide, with numbers expected to increase due to our ageing population. While there is no cure for dementia as of yet, research has shown that certain factors can lower your risk.
Scientists have previously said that around 45 per cent of dementia cases could be prevented by making certain lifestyle changes. And now a new study has named one specific way to do so.
Speaking to Medical News Today, Isadora Ribeiro, a study author from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, said: “Since there is still no cure (for dementia), finding ways to delay or prevent its onset – especially through accessible, non-pharmacological strategies – is essential to improve quality of life in ageing.”
The study, which was published in the journal GeroScience, found that weight training may help protect the brains of older adults from dementia, including those already showing signs of mild cognitive impairment.
As part of the study, 44 adults ages 55 or older with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment were split into two groups. The weight training group completed a resistance exercise program with moderate to high-intensity sessions twice a week.
Weights or sets were increased as participants’ muscles strengthened. In comparison, the control group did not exercise for the duration of the study.
Ribeiro said: “We chose to study resistance training because its primary goal is to increase muscle strength, which is especially important in older adults. Research has shown that greater muscle strength is associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive function.
“Therefore, investigating the impact of resistance training on the brain anatomy of older adults at risk for dementia is a promising and relevant approach,” After six months, participants in the weight training group showed improvement in verbal episodic memory – the ability to recall or recognise words, sentences, or narratives – and the strength of neurons and areas of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
In contrast, the control group’s participants showed signs of worsening brain parameters. Ribeiro said: “This is an interesting finding because it suggests that weight training may not only help to increase cognition, but also prevent the development of atrophy in regions related to Alzheimer’s disease — potentially delaying progression or even preventing the onset of dementia.
“The fact that we observed changes in white matter integrity indicates that resistance training may directly affect the anatomical structure of neurons, which is essential for efficient communication between brain regions, supporting memory, attention, and overall cognitive function.” Following the trial, the team also discovered that five participants in the weight training group no longer had a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment when they reached the end of the study.
“This suggests that weight training may alter the clinical trajectory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment, shifting them from an increased risk of dementia to preserved cognition by the end of the study,” Ribeiro added. “Even in a small sample, the fact that several participants showed improved cognitive health after the intervention is a hopeful indication of the potential protective effects of this type of exercise.”
Previous studies have also linked a reduced risk of dementia with exercise. One, published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, found that engaging in as little as 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to zero minutes per week, was associated with a 41 per cent lower risk of developing dementia.
Lead study author Amal Wanigatunga commented: “Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults. This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an ageing-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure.”
The NHS recommends a number of simple strength training exercises you can carry out at home. This includes bicep curls:
You could also try wall press-ups:
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