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Researchers Physical fitness keeps the heart and brain young
That physical fitness is good for the heart, have been shown numerous studies. But apparently, this also keeps the brain young. This is indicated by the results of a new study by Austrian scientists. "Regular exercise should therefore be striven for," said the study director Helena Schmidt.
Seniors are fitter today
On average, seniors today are more fit than ever before. A key reason for this is that it has become popular among older people to move regularly. Through sport you can stay fit and healthy until old age. That physical fitness is good for the heart, have already been proven by various scientific studies. But the brain remains young, as researchers of the Medical University of Graz (Austria) now report.
Fitness keeps the brain young and fit. Picture: Kzenon - fotolia Physical fitness obviously keeps the brain young
As the news agency APA reports, the scientists in their latest study have found clear evidence that physical fitness keeps the brain young. Fitte study participants thus achieved better results in their memory, in the ability to plan and make decisions as well as in motor skills. Already since 1991, Graz scientists have been investigating the question of how stroke can be prevented as part of the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study.
Recently, a team led by Univ.-Prof.in DDr.in Helena Schmidt from the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry re-evaluated data from this cohort study. These were connections between the heart function, the brain function and the course of thinking and memory processes in old age. Researchers have now published their findings in the online edition of the journal Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Older people with a high level of fitness
"Altogether we looked at the data of 877 Grazer with an average age of 65", explained the Graz researcher in an interview with the APA. The study participants had to pass a fitness test, their body weight and maximum resting heart rate were measured, as well as tests on memory performance, motor skills and targeted action control performed. Furthermore, MRI scans should show existing brain damage and changes. The researchers found that older people with a high level of fitness had a "younger" brain compared to those who were less fit.
Lower brain power with lower fitness
"Those participants with the highest fitness level in the study are in a state of mind that is up to seven years younger than the brain in terms of cognitive function," said Schmidt. In addition, it has been shown that - across several performance levels - with reduced fitness performance, the brain performance also had correspondingly reduced values. "That's a nice indication of causality," says the expert. In addition, the positive effect of fitness on the cognitive functions of the brain was "independent of age" visible.
"Regular exercise certainly can not hurt"
However, the Austrian researchers were unable to ascertain what type of training produced the best fitness scores: "Their clinical data showed that they are fit, but at that time they did not record how they acquired the fitness. It could be due to lifelong movement as well as genetic factors, "said the professor. It would also be necessary to clarify the mechanisms by which fitness has a concrete influence on cognitive abilities in old age.
The study authors assume that the cortical and subcortical structures are better protected by high maximum oxygen uptake. "Regular exercise certainly can not hurt and should definitely be the goal," Schmidt concluded. The fact that sport keeps the brain young was also reported last year by researchers from the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. At that time the scientists gained their knowledge from experiments with mice. (Ad)