NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Active octogenarians appear to be more focused and less easily distracted than their sedentary peers, study findings suggest.

"By leading an active, involved lifestyle, you may be able to maintain your ability to think and react to situations well into late life," study author Dr. Walter R. Bixby, of the University of Maryland in College Park, told Reuters Health.

"This is especially important for getting through tasks of daily living when one considers driving, walking down the street with groceries, following directions, etc.," he added.

To investigate the association between physical activity and brain function, Bixby and his colleagues studied 106 seniors whose average age was 80. The seniors completed a survey about the amount of time they spent each week participating in five physical activities--vigorous activity, leisure walking, moving, standing, and sitting--and afterwards took part in a test of their focusing abilities.

The investigators found that those who participated in higher levels of physical activity scored higher on the test, meaning they were better able to focus on the task at hand despite surrounding distractions, than the less-active seniors.

Further, Bixby noted that the patients were not extremely physically fit. Thus, "a moderate level of physical activity, not necessarily an exercise training plan per se, but just doing something, may lead to improvements in one's cognitive ability," he said.

In light of the findings, "the main recommendation for anyone young or old, would be to try and incorporate some form of physical activity into your life," Bixby said. "Also, try and keep your mind active by reading, doing crosswords, or trying to learn new or different materials."

In a second study, Sean Deeny, a doctoral student at the University of Maryland, also investigated the effect of physical activity on brain functioning in a group of 36 men and women aged 66 to 89. For his study, Deeny used brain scans to measure inhibitory function--meaning the ability to focus on one thing over another.

He and his colleagues found that a higher level of physical activity was associated with better focusing abilities, but only among men.

There are several possible ways that physical exercise could help preserve brain functioning, Deeny said. For example, "higher cardiovascular fitness may cause more blood flow and oxygenation in the brain."

Because of his team's findings, Deeny said his future research will include individuals who are genetically susceptible to Alzheimer's disease, to determine whether any relationships exist between their physical activity levels and brain functioning.

In the meantime, he advises that individuals "stay physically and mentally active." Deeny added, "Healthy body, healthy mind."

The findings of both studies were presented recently at the North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Reference Source 89

For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".