Alzheimer’s Disease? Exercise

DENMARK —A recent study conducted at the Danish Dementia Research Center in Copenhagen , Denmark and presented at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Washington DC found that physical exercise could improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

The study included 200 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. They were assigned to either a group taking part in a supervised exercise program or a control group for 16 weeks.

The team found that the group that followed the exercise program experienced significantly less symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, compared to the control group. Specifically, they found that exercise helps reduce levels of tau tangles, which is what causes brain lesions that destroy vital brain cells. They noted that higher levels of tau in the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

According to chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, Maria Carrillo:

"Based on the results we heard reported today at AAIC 2015, exercise or regular physical activity might play a role in both protecting your brain from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and also living better with the disease if you have it.”

If you are interested in preventing or reducing the chance of experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s, you might want to consider adding physical activity to your daily routine.


Have a great day.