A year long trial which has recently been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that moderate exercise increased an area of the brain which makes memories, in 120 volunteers.
The study involved looking at healthy individuals who were in their 60s (as opposed to people with dementia) and found that regular moderate exercise such as walking could work to slow the process of age related memory loss, and also seemed to improve the participants performance in memory tests.
Though the study did not involve participants with dementia, it does mean that until a cure is discovered, cheap and simple alternatives which help to slow the process are important.
Dr Simon Ridley of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust said that although the study does not look at memory loss in Alzheimer’s or dementia, it suggests “it’s never too late to start exercising to help keep our brains healthy”.
“Even modest exercise may improve memory and help protect the brain from normal decline caused by ageing.