Alzheimer’s risk drops dramatically with daily lifestyle change, researchers say
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Increasing physical activity in midlife or later can reduce the chances of developing dementia by up to 45%, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health analyzed data from more than 4,300 people in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring, all of whom did not have dementia at the start of the study.
Individuals completed a questionnaire reporting the amount of sleep and level of physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous), according to the study report.
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Study design and key findings.
The researchers analyzed the physical activity of individuals throughout three stages of life: early adulthood (ages 26 to 44), middle age (ages 45 to 64), and old age (ages 65 to 88).
Increasing physical activity in midlife or later can reduce the chances of developing dementia by up to 45%, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. (iStock)
They followed participants for an average period of 37.2, 25.9 and 14.5 years, respectively, to monitor the onset of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.
Those in the top two quintiles of physical activity in midlife were associated with a 40% lower risk of all-cause dementia over a 26-year period, compared to those with the lowest activity level.
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People in the top two quintiles of physical activity in later life were associated with a 36% to 45% lower risk of dementia over 15 years.
Those with the highest physical activity in midlife were associated with a 40% lower risk of all-cause dementia over a 26-year period, compared to those with the lowest activity level. (iStock)
“These results may help inform more precise and effective strategies to prevent or delay the onset of dementia in old age, and support evidence that the benefits of physical activity on the brain may extend to a younger age than previously thought,” study author Phillip Hwang, Ph.D., of the Department of Epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health, told News Digital.
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Greater activity in midlife was associated with a lower risk of dementia only in people without APOE4, a genetic variant linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.
However, this was not the case with the older-age group, which showed a reduced risk of dementia among both APOE4 carriers and those without the gene, according to the study.
The exercise-brain link
“There are several possible mechanisms by which physical activity is thought to reduce the risk of dementia, such as improving brain structure and function, reducing inflammation, and exerting benefits on vascular function,” Hwang told News Digital.
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According to the researcher, physical activity can also directly affect the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, such as the accumulation of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain.
Physical activity can also directly affect Alzheimer’s disease pathology, such as the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (iStock)
“These potential mechanisms may contribute to facilitating cognitive reserve, which may delay cognitive decline in old age.”
More research is needed to understand whether all of these possible causes occur at the same time throughout a person’s life, or whether different causes arise at different stages, the researchers said.
Expert reactions
Dr. Cathryn Devons, MD, a geriatric medicine specialist at Phelps Northwell Health Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.
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Exercise can reduce the risk of hypertension, stroke, vascular disease, cholesterol levels and diabetes — “all things that put you at risk for circulatory problems in the brain,” he told News Digital.
The doctor also noted that exercise is known to help reduce inflammation, which can protect brain health.
Limitations of the study
One limitation of the study is that physical activity was based on self-report, Hwang told News Digital.
Physical activity can also directly affect Alzheimer’s disease pathology, such as the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
“Although we can say from these results that higher levels of overall physical activity are associated with a reduced risk of dementia, these results may not translate well into recommendations for specific types of exercise,” he said.
Additionally, physical activity level in early adulthood was not related to all-cause dementia or Alzheimer’s dementia.
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“We may not have had enough power to detect associations with physical activity in early adulthood due to the small number of dementia cases in this age group,” the authors noted.
Devons agreed that while the study may have limitations, it supports the idea that exercise reduces the risk of dementia.
Amy McGorry is a contributing health writer for News Digital. Follow her on Twitter @amymcgorry.