“We found that higher physical activity was associated with higher thought speed reserve in women, but not in men,” study author Judy Pa, a professor of neuroscience in the UCLA School of Medicine, said in a statement. University of California at San Diego.
“Engaging in more mental activities was associated with greater thought speed reserve for both men and women,” said Pa, co-director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study at UC San Diego.
However, any positive association between cognitive activities and memory reserve only applies to women, the study found.
“Any woman reading this story can feel empowered to take control of her brain health today by staying physically active and cognitively engaged,” said Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at the Center for Brain Health at Schmidt College of Florida Atlantic University. of Medicine. He was not involved in the study.
“In this study, a twofold increase in physical activity was equivalent to about 2.75 fewer years of accelerated aging processing in women,” Isaacson said. “Furthermore, each additional cognitive activity corresponded to 13 years less processing speed aging on average between women and men.”
Processing speed, not memory
The study asked 758 people with an average age of 76 years about their weekly physical and mental activities. Participants earned points for each of three categories of cognitive engagement: taking classes on various topics; cards, games or bingo; and read magazines, newspapers or books.
Each person in the study underwent a brain scan and tests of memory and thinking speed: Some people showed signs of cognitive decline and dementia, while others had no memory or thinking problems. The researchers then compared the test results with brain scans of the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with dementia.
Each additional mental activity, such as playing cards or reading, reduced that person’s aging mental processing speed by an average of 13 years — 17 years among men and 10 years among women, the study found.
“Given that we may have little or no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, prevention is crucial. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment,” Pa said. “Knowing that people could potentially improve their cognitive reserve by taking simple steps like going to classes at the community center, playing bingo with your friends, or spending more time walking or gardening is very exciting.”
However, the study found no significant impact on memory. For example, higher physical activity was not associated with additional memory reserve in men or women. Why? That’s a tricky question, said Isaacson, who also serves as a trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation, which focuses on cognitive aging research and education.
“Was the memory test used sensitive enough to detect changes? Did the people in the study exercise enough to actually move the needle?” Isaacson asked.
“In our work, we have found that certain people need to really commit to their exercise program to show effects in the memory domain,” he said. “For example, people with one or more copies of the APOE4 gene variant need to regularly participate in more intense cardiovascular exercise programs, such as high-intensity interval training, to show positive effects.”
A genetic risk for Alzheimer’s
The women in the new study who carried an APOE4 gene did not see the same benefits in their cognitive reserve from additional physical and mental activities.
“The most interesting aspect of the study is that APOE4 differentiated women from men,” said Rudy Tanzi, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the genetics and aging research unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
“It is possible that APOE4 increases amyloid burden in women more than men. Or, perhaps, once amyloid accumulates, it leads to a rapid cascade of pathology and neurodegeneration in women versus men,” Tanzi said. , who did not participate in the study.
“The study also implies that women who are at risk of APOE4 (gene variant) for Alzheimer’s may need to be more diligent in practicing a more brain-healthy lifestyle,” she added.
The study had limitations: participants self-reported physical and mental activity, so people may not have remembered correctly. The study also didn’t control for other factors, such as education, that impact how well a person’s brain ages.
“While exercise and staying mentally engaged shined in this study, a comprehensive approach to reducing Alzheimer’s risk factors is the best recipe for success,” Isaacson said.
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