Exercise May Sharpen Older
People's Mental Skills

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Building on evidence that many heart-healthy habits do the brain good, too, researchers suggest that exercise may improve some mental skills in older adults.

In a study of 84 men and women with clinical depression, investigators found that 4 months of regular aerobic exercise appeared to sharpen study participants' memory and certain other mental abilities. This finding suggests exercise could counter the mental decline that comes with aging, according to the report.

In an earlier analysis of the same group, the researchers had linked exercise to improvements in depression. In fact, those findings suggested exercise was as effective as antidepressant medication.

The new findings, published in the January issue of the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, suggest that the mental health benefits of exercise go beyond depression. Dr. James A. Blumenthal of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, led the study.

Exactly why exercise might strengthen mental sharpness is unclear, but research suggests that maintaining a healthy flow of blood and oxygen protects the brain. For example, some studies have linked high blood pressure to mental decline, while other research suggests that keeping blood pressure under control wards off mental deterioration.

And there is some evidence that a drink per day, which is thought to promote heart health, may also stave off the cognitive (mental) declines that come with aging.

``It is thought that one of the reasons why the elderly--especially those with coronary artery disease or (high blood pressure)--tend to suffer some degree of cognitive decline is in part due to a reduction in blood flow to the brain,'' Blumenthal said in a university statement.

In the current study, Blumenthal's team split the study participants into three groups: one that followed an exercise plan; one that took an antidepressant; and a third that exercised and took the drug. Exercise involved either riding a stationary bike or walking or jogging for 30 minutes, three times a week. All participants were between the ages of 50 and 77.

After 4 months, the exercisers had improved on tests of memory and certain ``executive'' functions, such as planning and organizing tasks. These improvements went beyond what would be expected once depression subsides, the report indicates. And patients who had suffered milder depression showed the greatest gains in mental skills.

``The implications are that exercise might be able to offset some of the mental declines that we often associate with the aging process,'' according to Blumenthal.

SOURCE: Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 2001;9.
Reference Source 89

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