by Tabitha Grace Smith

Taking your loved one for a walk may do as much for their brain as those crossword puzzles and video games. Why? There’s a growing body of research that is offering tantalizing evidence that physical exercise may do as much for the brain as brain teasers and mental stimulation.

“There’s an avalanche of neuroscience to support that (physical) exercise is good for the brain,” said John Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and co-author of an upcoming book on the subject.

With over 5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s, it’s quickly becoming a growing concern among Americans. A 2006 survey conducted by Harris Interactive for the MetLife Foundation found that Alzheimer’s was a bigger source of anxiety for Americans 55 and older than heart disease, stroke and diabetes. ”

Exercise can help turn off the death march of cells both in our bodies and our brains,” Ratey said. In a six-year study of 1,740 adults 65 and older published last year in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers found those who exercised more than three times a week were less likely to develop dementia than those who didn’t. A 2005 study of 3,375 adults in the same age group produced similar results.

But investigators said the findings, while encouraging, don’t yet prove that exercise prevents the onset of dementia. Scientists believe aerobic exercise increases activity in the frontal regions of the brain that control “executive functions”: working memory, multi-tasking and the ability to sort and screen out distractions. Researches say these are the most vulnerable areas of the brain as people age.

Arthur Kramer, a professor of neuroscience who was part of the University of Illinois team, said research demonstrates that aerobic exercise generates new neurons in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for some aspects of memory. He said animal studies show a strong link between exercise and a sharper mind. With all this good news, scientists are quick to warn that more research is needed to best answer questions such as “how much exercise is needed?” and “what kind of workout is best?”

“What is still not quite determined is whether it’s physical fitness or physical activity,” Hatfield said. “Just moving may be the key, as opposed to being someone who can run the Marine Corps Marathon.”

Even so, many people are concerned that seniors won’t exercise. Despite this growing body of research extolling the physical and mental benefits of exercise, government surveys show that seniors remain the least likely to exercise.

In fact, the older Americans get, the less likely they are to be physically active. According to government surveys conducted between 2002 and 2004, about 39 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. That compares with just 17 percent of adults 71 and older. A 2004 survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than half — 58 percent — of people 65 and older reported 10 minutes or less per week of leisure-time physical activity.

The reasons for not exercising are varied. Some seniors being fearful they’ll get hurt while others prefer taking a pill.

Chris Klopfer, senior sports and fitness coordinator for Rochville (Md.) Senior Center, says it’s important to keep seniors active and get them motivated. “I tell some people, ‘Just start out with five minutes — get through five minutes on the bike. Walk five minutes on the treadmill,’ ” said Klopfer, who has become a pro at coaxing reluctant seniors onto treadmills. “I don’t think people realize they can start out with that little bit and still make progress.”

Related News:

Walking And Moderate Exercise Help Prevent Dementia

Studies show exercise may help seniors stave off mental decline

Games to Prevent Alzheimer’s

Resources from AGIS.com:

Getting Dad to Exercise

Exercise - Encyclopedia of Aging

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Section of AGIS.com

Filed under: Alzheimer's, Health & Safety