Doing This 30-Minute Workout a Few Times a Week Can Stave Off Dementia - msnNOW

This month, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center published a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology looking into the connection between Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and exercise. The Texas scientists were interested in finding out what could be done to improve the quality of life for the more than 6 million Americans living with some form of dementia.

The year-long study enrolled 70 men and women aged 55 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which progresses to full-blown Alzheimer's disease half the time. Researchers split the participants into two groups: The first was assigned to do some brisk walking multiple times a week, while the second took part in a stretching and toning class with no aerobic component. The former group began with three workout sessions a week lasting 25 to 30 minutes, and by seven months in, they built up to four or five brisk walking sessions each week that lasted 30 to 40 minutes. According to the study, the walking group saw increased motor skills and improved memory and cognitive function, in addition to improved cardio fitness. The group assigned to do stretching and toning activities for a year, however, did not.

"Aerobic exercise is very important for improving both vascular function and brain function," said Rong Zhang, PhD, the study's lead researcher and a neurology professor at UT Southwestern, told Heathline. "The brain is a unique organ. It needs constant blood flow and oxygen supply."

RELATED: If You Notice This While Talking, It May Be an Early Sign of Dementia.

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