London - Brisk walking for two hours a week may help boost brainpower in women at risk of dementia, say researchers.
A study found that in women with early memory problems, aerobic activity increased the size of the hippocampus – an area of the brain involved in learning and memory, and very sensitive to the effects of ageing.
The six-month trial in Canada focused on women aged 70 to 80 with mild memory problems, a common risk factor for dementia. They did twice weekly hour-long aerobic sessions of brisk walking, or resistance training such as weights or, as a control group, balance and muscle toning exercises.
MRI scans showed the hippocampus was significantly bigger in the aerobic group, while resistance training made little difference, the British Journal of Sports Medicine said.
Study leader Dr Teresa Liu-Ambrose, of the University of British Columbia, said the relationship between brain volume and cognitive performance was complex. But she said the study showed that aerobic exercise appears at least to be able to slow the shrinkage of the hippocampus with age. - Daily Mail