For those at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, frequent exercise can help fight brain deterioration, according to a report from UT Southwestern. Scientists say further research is necessary to solidify the link between fitness and dementia.
Research says that regular exercise slowed brain degeneration in those who had a build up of an amino acid that is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease, though it did not completely stop the effects.
“What are you supposed to do if you have amyloid clumping together in the brain? Right now doctors can’t prescribe anything,” Dr. Rong Zhang, who led the trial, told UTSW. “If these findings can be replicated in a larger trial, then maybe one day doctors will be telling high-risk patients to start an exercise plan. In fact, there’s no harm in doing so now.”
The research was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Read more about the study here.
