New research published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia suggests that engaging in vigorous exercise once or more per week may help prevent cognitive impairment in older people with high blood pressure.
The study included more than 9,300 participants aged 50 and older with hypertension who were part of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Participants self-reported their number of vigorous physical activity sessions per week, and the researchers categorized participants into low exercise (less than once per week) and high exercise (once or more per week) categories. Then, participants were monitored for the incidence of mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia. People with high blood pressure have a higher risk of cognitive impairment, but physical activity is known to lower the risk of cognitive decline. The goal of this study was to see how vigorous exercise impacts this risk.
The results of the study showed that participants in the high vigorous exercise category had lower rates of cognitive impairment and probable dementia compared to participants in the low vigorous exercise category. The results were particularly strong for participants with high blood pressure between the ages of 50 and 75 years old.
The authors noted that vigorous physical activity has many known health benefits, including improving heart health and delaying cognitive decline. This study provides encouraging evidence that vigorous physical activity may significantly impact cognition, even in high-risk, older patients. In the study, almost 60% of respondents indicated that they vigorously exercised at least once per week, even among participants 75 years and older. The authors pointed out that these results were particularly encouraging and show that older adults are aware of the important health benefits of exercise. Regular, vigorous exercise is one of the most straightforward ways to improve heart health, cognition, weight, longevity, and overall health.
Sources: Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Science Daily
