Is Exercise the Ultimate Anti-Aging Elixir?

Exercise and fitness, in the form of moderate physical activity performed in midlife or later appears to be associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment. A six month high intensity aerobic exercise program may improve cognitive function in individuals who already have the condition.

Mild cognitive impairment is an intermediate state between normal thinking, learning and memory changes that occur with age and dementia. Each year, 10 percent to 15 percent of individuals with mild cognitive impairment will develop dementia, as compared with 1 percent to 2 percent of the general population.

Laura Baker, Ph.D, a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, headed a research team that reported the results of a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving 33 adults, with mild cognitive impairment (16 men and 17 women, average age 70). Twenty three participants were randomly assigned to an aerobic group, and exercised at high intensity levels four days a week, 45 to 60 minutes for six month, under the supervision of a trainer.

Twenty- nine participants completed the study. In general, the patients in the high intensity aerobic group experienced significant improvements of their cognitive functioning, compared to the control group. The effects for some undetermined reason were greater in women, than in the men, despite similar increases in fitness.

“Aerobic exercise is a cost-effective practice that is associated with numerous physical benefits. The results of this study suggest that exercise also provides a cognitive benefit for some adults with mild cognitive impairment, “Dr. Baker wrote.” Six months of a behavior intervention involving regular intervals of increased heart rate was sufficient to improve cognitive performances for an at-risk group without the cost and adverse effects associated with most pharmaceutical therapies.”

Dr. Yonas Geda and colleagues at Mayo Clinic in Rochester evaluated over 1,324 individuals without dementia who were part of the Mayo Clinic’s study of Aging. Participants completed a physical exercise questionnaire between 2006 and 2008. They were then assessed by an expert consensus panel, who classified each as having either normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment.

One hundred-ninety eight participants (midpoint age of 83 years) were found to have mild cognitive impairment and 1,126 (median age 80) had normal cognition. Those who reported performing moderate exercise-such as brisk walking, yoga, strength training, aerobics or swimming-during midlife or late life were less likely to have mild cognitive impairment. Midlife moderate exercise was associated with 39 percent reduction in the odds of developing the condition, and moderate exercise in late life was associated with a 32 percent reduction. The findings were consistent among men and women.

Light exercise, such as golfing with a cart, slow dancing, or bowling, or vigorous exercise, i.e., jogging, skiing and racquetball, were not independently associated with reduced risk for mild cognitive impairment.

Exercise may protect nerve cells against mild cognitive impairment by producing protective compounds, greater blood flow to the brain, improved development and survival of nerve cells and the decreased risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, the authors noted. “A second possibility is that physical exercise may be a marker for a healthy lifestyle. A subject who engages in regular physical exercise may also show the same type of discipline in dietary habits, accident prevention, adherence to preventive intervention, compliance with medical care and similar health promoting behaviors.

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