Aerobic Exercise Limits Risk of Alzheimer's in Vulnerable Adults

A study from University of Wisconsin (UW) researchers published in Brain Plasticity details a relationship between regular aerobic exercise and lower vulnerability to Alzheimer's among high-risk adults, reports New Atlas . Twenty-three subjects with normal cognitive health but at a heightened risk of Alzheimer's due to family history and genetics participated. All followed a sedentary lifestyle, with half given information on being more active and then left on their own. The other half was assigned a personal trainer and underwent a "moderate intensity" treadmill training course over 26 weeks. The active group exhibited improved cardio fitness and became less sedentary, and scored higher on cognitive tests of executive functioning. Brain scans also found significant differences in brain glucose metabolism in the posterior cingulate cortex, a region associated with Alzheimer's. "The findings are especially relevant to individuals who are at a higher risk due to family history or genetic predisposition," said UW's Ozioma C. Okonkwo.