The authors of the study are confident that everyone should try to incorporate this habit into their lives. It is never too late to start, even in old age.
While scientists have yet to develop a drug that can completely stop Alzheimer's disease, a new study published in Nature has revealed a new method to slow the progression of the illness.
This method involves the most ordinary activity: walking. Moreover, researchers were even able to specify a particular number of steps that can help reduce the manifestation of symptoms.
Study Overview
The authors of the study observed 296 adults aged 50 to 90 years, who underwent neuroimaging tests and wore pedometers on their wrists to track the number of steps taken.
At the start of the observations, none of the volunteers showed signs of cognitive decline.
The study itself lasted for 9 years.
What Was Discovered
The researchers concluded that in people leading a sedentary lifestyle, tau proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease accumulate more quickly. Additionally, their cognitive functions declined at a faster rate.
Even a small amount of physical activity — from 3001 to 5000 steps a day — can delay cognitive decline by three years.
For those who walked between 5001 and 7500 steps daily, cognitive function problems were observed on average 7 years later.
Scientists' Conclusions
The results of the study indicate that physical activity can be beneficial for people with the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
"Lifestyle factors seem to affect the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that lifestyle changes can slow the onset of cognitive symptoms if action is taken early," noted co-author of the study, Jasmeer Chhatwal, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard University.
Professor of Clinical Neurology at Queen Mary University of London, Charles Marshall, pointed out that during the study, it was not possible to determine whether the more active participants were healthier in other respects. It is also unclear whether Alzheimer's disease itself could have influenced the level of activity.
However, the researchers were able to establish a clear link between the habit of walking more and the slowing of tau protein accumulation.
There is an unspoken rule: everything that is good for heart health is also good for brain health. The new study confirmed that this thesis holds true regarding physical exercise and an active lifestyle, writes the Daily Mail.
"We would urge everyone to engage in regular exercise if they can," stated Richard Oakley, Deputy Director of Research and Innovation at the Alzheimer's Society.
By the Way
Walking also works well as a method of dementia prevention in general. Researchers from the Sydney School of Medical Sciences (Australia) conducted a study and found that to maximize the reduction of dementia risk, one needed to walk 9826 steps a day. However, to slightly reduce the risk, it was sufficient to walk just 3826 steps.
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