Sitting Too Much Affects Brain Thickness, Study Finds

A study published in PLOS One determined long periods of sedentary behavior by middle-aged and older adults affects brain health, and potentially increases the odds for heart disease, diabetes, and premature death, reports UPI . Specifically, sitting impacts regions of the brain critical to memory formation by thinning the medial temporal lobe (MTL), which can be a precursor to cognitive decline and dementia. The researchers asked 35 people between the ages of 45 and 75 about their physical activity levels and the average number of hours each day they spent sitting over the previous week. They underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan of their MTL, and the researchers observed there is a 2 percent decrease in thickness with each hour of sitting each day. Meanwhile, no significant correlations between physical activity levels and MTL thickness were seen. Furthermore, non-sedentary studies showed additional physical activity improves brain thickness and heart health.