Cardio May Boost Memory & Brain Health
How does cardio impact brain health?
In this study, they considered the impact of higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, aka cardio or aerobic exercise, on the gray matter of the brain, the volume of which is linked to many cognitive abilities.
In assessing fitness level, the researchers looked at peak oxygen intake. Increases in these indicators were correlated with increased gray matter, and therefore stronger cognitive function. Gray matter is simply one of the forms of brain tissue, and the study found that in cases where the participant had a higher status of cardiorespiratory fitness had an overall higher brain volume.
One of the key regions which more gray matter was found was the hippocampus, a portion of the brain associated with both memory and stress regulation. In addition to these functions in a healthy brain, decline in this region is associated with Alzheimer’s, depression, and schizophrenia.
According to the WHO, 150 minutes of moderate exercise is recommended for good cardiorespiratory fitness. Other components of maintaining good fitness of this kind are healthy eating habits and managing blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
How does this knowledge help?
With the global population aging and rates of diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s increasing, any knowledge of the relationships between lifestyle and brain health are helpful in working to find more efficient treatments, and possibly cures, for these diseases.
“There is good evidence for the value of exercise in midlife,” said Ronald Petersen , M.D.,Ph.D.,a neurologist, “but it is encouraging that there can be positive effects on the brain in later life as well.”
Previous studies have found that even beginning to work out later in life can as much as halve dementia risk. However, this study found that increasing your body’s oxygen uptake may be critical to brain health, which more firmly links cardio workouts that increase lung capacity to brain health than previous studies.
“The findings regarding cardiorespiratory fitness and certain brain structures are unique,” said Clifford Jack Jr., M.D.,a Neuro radiologist.