Increasing physical activity between 45 and 65 years old may help prevent ALzheimer's disease (AD), found a new study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia.
Around 13% of AD cases worldwide may be attributed to a lack of physical activity. Physical activity has meanwhile been linked to a decreased risk of cognitive decline and AD, especially in midlife.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, 75- 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent mix of both. Until now, however, little has been known of how adherence to these guidelines or changing activity levels in midlife links to AD-related pathologies.
In the current study, researchers explored changes in physical activity and their link to AD-related pathologies. To do so, they analyzed data from 337 cognitively-impaired, middle-aged adults. They used physical activity questionnaires to assess changes in activity over a four-year period alongside neuroimaging tests to assess the effects of exercise on brain structure and function.
The participants were split into three groups- those who met WHO recommendations for physical activity, those who fell short, and those who were sedentary, i.e. did zero minutes of physical activity per week.
Ultimately, the researchers observed a dose-dependent link between increased levels of physical activity and lower amyloid burden, a key marker of AD. Those who increased their physical activity to accord with WHO guidelines displayed less beta-amyloid accumulation than sedentary individuals or those who reduced their physical activity.
"These findings reinforce the importance of promoting physical activity in middle age as a public health strategy for Alzheimer's prevention. Interventions aimed at promoting increased physical activity could be key to reducing the incidence of the disease in the future," lead investigator Eider Arenaza-Urquijo, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), said in a press release.
Sources: Science Daily, Alzheimer's & Dementia