Exercise reduces the risk of debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease
Exercise reduces the risk of debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease
The human brain reaches adult size by the age of 10. But its wiring and its capabilities continue to change throughout life.
After the age of 40, the volume of the brain begins to shrink. Less blood flows through the brain, lowering levels of hormones and neurotransmitters. Aging leads to slowing down of some functions, such as learning new tasks.
Learning requires the formation of new connections in the brain, a property called neuroplasticity. Your brain is a dynamic being that is constantly remodeling itself in response to new experiences.
Some brain structures show better plasticity and rewiring than others. Aging affects more extensively than others. One such structure is the hippocampus. Located between the ears, it plays an important role in the formation and integration of new and lasting memories, and thus in learning and experience. You can also create a mental map of your surroundings to find your way home.
Experiments have shown that the brains of older mice have fewer connections, called synapses, between nerve cells, are inadequate to navigate the maze, and show flaws in spatial learning.
MRI studies of the brains of taxi drivers in London show that they are magnifying the hippocampus — city roads are “mapped” to the hippocampus, and this “map” becomes easier as you gain experience. Enlarge.
However, human research in this area is confused by the great differences between individuals. Some “super-agers” can even compete with much younger people on memory tests.
Brain injury
In the case of brain damage due to trauma or stroke, the brain’s ability to rewire and change is seen. In such cases, many brain cells die and some capacity is lost. However, over time, the brain modifies itself, leading to full or partial recovery of lost abilities. This can be accelerated by medication, stem cell therapy, and psychological intervention.
The process of aging is often, but not always, accompanied by a decline in cognitive function. In addition to memory, executive function can be compromised — these include the ability to plan and the ability to perform two or more tasks at the same time.
These changes are the result of reduced ability of the brain to rewire itself and reduced neuroplasticity. However, it is possible to change behavioral and lifestyle patterns to increase the adaptability of the brain and make it function like a young brain.
Regular exercise and wise dietary choices are just as important to keeping your brain young, as are your aptitude for learning (learning new languages and musical instruments).
Benefits of exercise
For the elderly, exercise reduces the risk of systemic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Such disorders increase the risk of dementia. Therefore, exercise reduces the risk of dementia and debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Regular exercise also helps you lose weight, or at least stop gaining weight or regaining weight. It reduces the chance of developing cancer of the lungs, stomach, colon, and bladder. People who are exercising are less likely to develop anxiety and depression.
A major advantage of exercising in the elderly is a reduced risk of falls and injuries from falls. Exercise enhances postural stability both when standing and when moving. This is because the brain is trained over and over again to quickly respond to imbalances (Rogge et al.,. Neuropsychosis2019).
Which type of exercise is better? Comparing the results of 6 months of aerobic endurance training (indoor cycling) and stretching / cooperative training, both of these activities improved memory in the 40-56 year old group compared to those who tend to sit down. You can see that it will be connected. These activities, of course, improve cardiovascular health, and participants in the study that showed the most improvement in their cardiovascular health also had the highest improvement in memory. Returning to lethargy and lowering your fitness level will disable the improvement in memory function (Hötting and Röder,). Neurosci. Behavior. Rev, 2013).
Cognitive training, which means training the brain, helps maintain the flexibility of the brain. Combining this with exercise gives even better results in improving cognitive performance in the elderly.
The amount of exercise required is another question that older people may be worried about. Elderly health and cognitive parameters are often assessed before and after a 10-minute routine that includes jogging and walking, “sufficient to cause mild sweating, but not fatigue.” For people over the age of 65, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 30-minute walk at least 5 times a week.
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