Exercise Intervention Helps Slow Down Memory Loss

• Mild cognitive impairment or cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) is a health condition elderly people suffer from.
• The condition causes memory loss and in extreme cases, it can progress to Alzheimer’s disease.
• A new study shows that exercise may help elevate symptoms of the condition.

About the Research

Researchers working on this study want to determine if exercise interventions are good in preventing memory loss. The study’s name is Exercise and Nutritional Interventions for coGnitive and Cardiovascular HealTh EnhaNcement. Also, the complete findings are available through the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Memory Loss Prevention

CIND is a condition that causes memory loss in elderly individuals. The symptoms are not extrema and they include forgetfulness of things and events and also difficulties in remembering certain words. As a result, the condition can cause difficulties for the elderly person and they will need supervision and care.

Researchers working on this study want to see if lifestyle changes may decrease the effects of the condition. That is, they want to determine if a change in diet and the introduction of aerobic exercises stops memory loss. Also, 155 individuals above the age of 55 took part in the study.

The people that took part in the study had an extra risk factor for heart disease besides memory loss. Before the study they underwent tests of their cognitive abilities and heart disease risk factors.

After the testing, they were split into four groups. Each group had a different intervention protocol. The first group was on a special diet (DASH). The second had aerobic exercise interventions. The third had the combination of the two and the last group got health education through special phone sessions.

The aerobic exercise in question was moderate and it was either a 35-minute walk or cycling session. On the other side, the group that was on the DASH diet was asked to restrain from exercise. In total, the various interventions took six months to complete.

The results show that exercise intervention improves the memory and decision-making abilities of the patients. Not only that, but the results also suggest that this improvement lasts up to one year after a six-month intervention.

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Limitations

• Further studies about the potential ways of applying aerobic interventions in medical treatment are required.

Sources

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/ags-aea112619.php

http://www.americangeriatrics.org/