Scientists have found an association between physical activity levels in middle age and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
- Past studies have linked
physical activity with a decreased risk for many health issues, including
Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
- A new study found that
increased physical activity levels during middle age are associated with
reduced amounts of the Alzheimer’s disease biomarker beta-amyloid in the
brain.
- Researchers also discovered
that being inactive during this time was linked to atrophy in brain
regions associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
It is well known
that exercising regularly is an important part of a healthy lifestyleTrusted Source.
More and more studies
correlate physical activity with a decreased risk for many health issues,
including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depressionTrusted Source, osteoporosis, metabolic
syndrome, and types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s
disease.
Now, a new study
recently published in Alzheimer’s & DementiaTrusted Source,
the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, adds to our knowledge about
physical activity and its impact on brain health.
Researchers have found that increasing physical
activity levels during middle age — ages 45 to 65 — is associated with lower
concentrations of the protein beta-amyloidTrusted Source — a known biomarker for
Alzheimer’s disease — in the brain.
Why focus on
middle age?
For this study,
researchers analyzed health data from 337 participants of the ALFA+
longitudinal cohort, which is part of the ALFA (ALzheimer’s and FAmilies) study conducted at the
Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC) in Spain. Participants were between
the ages of 45 and 65 when they joined the ALFA cohort.
“Midlife is a critical
period during which Alzheimer’s disease pathologies begin to accumulate in the
brain,” Eider Arenaza-Urquijo, PhD, assistant researcher professor at
the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and senior author and
principal investigator of this study, told Medical News Today.
“Over the last decade, research has shown that Alzheimer’s-related changes can
occur silently for up to two decades before any clinical symptoms appear. This
represents a crucial window of opportunity for prevention and early
intervention.”
“Moreover, many
modifiable risk factors begin to exert their influence during this stage of
life,” Arenaza-Urquijo continued.
“In fact, the most recent Lancet Commission on
DementiaTrusted Source,
highlights midlife as a key period for targeting risk factors — such as
physical inactivity — that contribute to dementia later in life. These insights
underscore the importance of focusing preventive strategies on midlife to
promote long-term brain health and reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk,” she said.
Increased activity linked to
lower beta-amyloid brain levels
Study participants were
asked to record their physical activity via questionnaires at baseline and at
their follow-up visit around four years later. The researchers also analysed
data from brain scans acquired after the follow-up visit to look for correlations
between participants’ exercise levels and Alzheimer’s-related pathologies in
their brains.
Study participants were classified into five different
groups based on their adherence to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended activity levelsTrusted Source:
- Group 1 remained sedentary
- Group 2 exercised, but not enough to adhere to
the WHO guidelines
- Group 3 reached and maintained the WHO guidelines
- Group 4 started at the WHO guidelines, but then
became non-adherent
- Group 5 started non-adherent and then hit the WHO guidelines
Upon analysis, researchers found that participants
who increased their physical activity to meet WHO-recommended levels had lower
amounts of the protein beta-amyloidTrusted Source in the brain
than those who remained sedentary or reduced their physical activity.
“Pathological
accumulation of beta-amyloid is considered one of the earliest events in the
development of Alzheimer’s disease, triggering a cascade of neurodegenerative
processes that ultimately lead to cognitive decline and dementia,”
Arenaza-Urquijo said.
“Our
findings suggest that adopting a more active lifestyle in midlife — especially
for individuals who were previously inactive — may play a protective role by
slowing or potentially preventing the buildup of this hallmark Alzheimer’s
pathology.”— Eider Arenaza-Urquijo, PhD
Non-sedentary lifestyle linked to
greater brain cortical thickness
Arenaza-Urquijo and her
team also discovered that non-sedentary participants showed a greater cortical
thickness in brain regions associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Cortical
thinningTrusted Source is a marker of
atrophy and neurodegeneration. The results suggest that participants who
reported no physical activity over the four-year follow-up period exhibited
greater loss of cortical thickness. Alternatively, it’s possible that existing
neurodegeneration may have hindered these participants’ ability to engage in
physical activity.”
— Eider Arenaza-Urquijo, PhD
“We are currently
examining the built environment in Barcelona, Spain, and several U.S. cities to
explore whether more walkable neighborhoods encourage physical activity among
older adults, including those with cognitive decline and dementia,”
Arenaza-Urquijo replied when asked what was next for her team’s research.
“Our goal is to
understand whether urban design can support active lifestyles and, in turn,
promote better brain and cognitive health in later life — integrating the urban
environment as a key factor in public health and dementia prevention
strategies,” she said.
What
type of exercise is best for lowering Alzheimer’s risk?
MNT also had the opportunity to speak with Daniel H. Daneshvar, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Brain
Injury Rehabilitation, and vice president of medical staff for Spaulding
Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts, about this study.
“We have strong existing
evidence that physical activity supports cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain
health, and this study strengthens the link between increased physical activity
during middle age and reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk,” Daneshvar commented.
“What’s
especially important to recognize is that health interventions like exercise
may not only reduce underlying pathology, but also can significantly delay or
even prevent the clinical symptoms from ever emerging. This study supports the
need to embed exercise and brain-healthy behaviors as a central part of
preventive care strategies starting in middle age.”— Daniel H. Daneshvar, MD,
PhD
For readers who wish to
increase their exercise during middle age to potentially lower their
Alzheimer’s disease risk, MNT asked Daneshvar for his top
tips on figuring out which types of exercise would be best — are specific types
of activities more helpful than others?
“The best type of exercise is the one that you’ll
actually do — consistently,” he responded. “Both aerobic exercise (like brisk walking, cycling,
or swimming),
and resistance training (like
lifting weights or using resistance bands), have shown benefits for brain
health.”
“Ideally, a combination
of the two is best because aerobic exercise supports cardiovascular health
while strength training helps preserve muscle mass and metabolic function, which also impact
brain health,” Daneshvar added. “Even small amounts of regular activity can
make a difference, so the goal should be to move more throughout the week,
starting with realistic and enjoyable activities that fit into daily life.”
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