"EXERT is a landmark study because it's the largest rigorous trial of exercise ever conducted in adults with mild cognitive impairment," Laura Baker, Ph.D., principal investigator of the EXERT study and professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, said in a press release.
"Exercise has well-documented benefits to nearly every aspect of human health, but we're still unlocking the full potential of exercise as medicine for older adults with memory problems,” she added.
The trial included 296 sedentary older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment who were randomly assigned to either moderate-high intensity aerobic exercise or lower-intensity exercise including stretching, balancing, and range of motion activities. Participants were to complete their assigned exercise 3-4 times per week for 12 months under the supervision of a trainer. Cognitive function and brain volume were regularly assessed.
Ultimately, neither group experienced further cognitive decline at the 12-month mark. Hippocampal volume loss was low, at an average of 0.51% at 12 months. The findings suggest that both lower and higher intensity exercise may slow cognitive decline, noted the researchers.
"While there's still a lot to learn, these findings show that regular intensity exercise, even at low intensity, could go a long way toward helping older adults slow or delay cognitive decline, and this is promising news for those who are at high risk for dementia," lead author of one of the studies, Aladdin Shadyab, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and School of Medicine, said in a press release.
Sources: Science Daily, Alzheimer’s & Dementia 1, Alzheimer’s & Dementia 2