Brain imaging of 49 children aged 9-10 has found that those who were physically fit had a hippocampus significantly bigger (around 12%) than those who were not fit. Animal studies and those with older adults have shown that aerobic exercise increases the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus. Physical fitness was measured by how efficiently the children used oxygen while running on a treadmill. Fitter children also did better on tests of relational (but not item) memory, and this association was directly mediated by hippocampal volume.
Physical fitness improves memory in children
Reference
Chaddock, L., Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Kim, J. S., Voss, M. W., VanPatter, M., … Kramer, A. F. (2010). A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume, and memory performance in preadolescent children. Brain Research, 1358, 172-183. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6SYR-50V5NMC-4/2/54b1e162e3c23c598ef08a5f00645cc3
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Physical fitness crucial for fighting age-related cognitive decline
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Three recent studies point to the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for older adults wanting to prevent cognitive decline.
Limited benefit of physical activity for preventing cognitive decline
A large, two-year study challenges the evidence that regular exercise helps prevent age-related cognitive decline.
The study involved 1,635 older adults (70-89) who were enrolled in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study. They were sedentary adults who were at risk for mobility disability but able to walk about a quarter mile. Participants had no significant cognitive impairment (as measured by the MMSE) at the beginning of the study. Around 90% (1476) made it to the end of the study, and were included in the analysis.
Physical activity linked to better memory for names and faces among older adults
A small study that fitted 29 young adults (18-31) and 31 older adults (55-82) with a device that recorded steps taken and the vigor and speed with which they were made, has found that those older adults with a higher step rate performed better on memory tasks than those who were more sedentary. There was no such effect seen among the younger adults.
Aerobic exercise preserves brain volume and improves cognition in those with MCI
A study involving 35 adults with MCI found that those who exercised four times a week over a six-month period increased their volume of gray matter. But those who participated in aerobic exercise experienced significantly greater gains than those who just stretched, who also showed signs of white matter loss.
Aerobic activity included treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical training.
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in November, 2016.
Greater muscle strength = better cognitive function
A Finnish study involving 338 older adults (average age 66) has found that greater muscle strength is associated with better cognitive function.
Muscle strength was measured utilising handgrip strength, three lower body exercises such as leg extension, leg flexion and leg press and two upper body exercises such as chest press and seated row.
Rigorous exercise does not slow dementia decline
A number of studies have found that physical exercise can help delay the onset of dementia, however the ability of exercise to slow the decline once dementia has set in is a more equivocal question. A large new study answers this question in the negative.
Cognitive & motor training combined may slow progress of dementia
Various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's, involve brain network problems. Brain regions are not coordinating as well as they should; white matter is dysfunctional, impairing communications. It has even been suggested that problems in the default mode network (the "resting state" of the brain) may be the ultimate driver of the pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's, such as amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and brain atrophy. Regardless of the order of events, it does seem that network dysfunction is one of the big problems in dementia.
Brain benefits from single workouts predict long-term benefits from exercise
A small pilot study, in which participants had brain scans and working memory tests before and after single sessions of light and moderate intensity exercise and after a 12-week long training program, has shown that immediate cognitive effects from exercise mirror long-term ones. Participants who saw the biggest improvements in cognition and functional brain connectivity after single sessions of moderate-intensity physical activity also showed the biggest long-term gains in cognition and connectivity.
Better physical fitness and lower aortic stiffness key to slower brain aging
An Australian study involving 102 older adults (60-90) has concluded that physical fitness and arterial stiffness account for a great deal of age-related memory decline.
Which type of exercise is best for the brain?
A rat study comparing different forms of exercise has found that running was much more effective than HIIT or resistence training in generating new brain cells.
Most exercise studies involving rats have used running wheels, and the benefits of these for the creation of new neurons in the hippocampus (adult neurogenesis) have been well-demonstrated. This study used two other (rather ingenuous) strategies to mimic high-intensity interval training and weights training.