Sports study Strong legs keep the brain young

Sport protects body and mind
Strong legs could help protect our brain against cognitive aging. Activities such as running, walking and gym exercises help strengthen our legs. As a result, our brain is protected and strengthened against the signs of aging. This was the conclusion reached by researchers from Kings College London after conducting a study on this subject over a period of ten years (1999-2009).

A total of 342 healthy female twins with an average age of 55 years were studied for the purpose of the study. Researchers chose to use identical twins for this study because their genetic makeup is the same and can not change over time. The subjects were tested for different cognitive, learning and memory indicators at the beginning and at the end of each study. The results of the study were published by the researchers in the journal Gerontology.

Strong legs are good for the brain. Image: Peter Atkins - fotolia

Physical activity helps to improve mental and physical health
Leg strength allows for better predictions of cognitive change than other lifestyle-related factors. The physicians were able to determine that the twins with stronger legs at the beginning of the study, later have a better cognitive health. In addition, these subjects had less age-related brain changes within ten years. It could be clearly observed that in twins with differently strong legs, after ten years great differences in cognition and brain structure were present, the lead author of the study said. Claire Steves in a statement. The results show that simple lifestyle changes would be enough to increase our physical activity and improve our mental and physical health.

Muscle activity releases hormone that promotes nerve cell growth
Previous animal studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of physical activity on the aging brain. The reason for this is a hormone that is released during muscle activity and promotes the growth of nerve cells, said the researchers from Kings College London. The study is the first to attempt to prove a relationship between lower limb performance and cognitive changes in healthy individuals. The scientists pointed out that our legs contain the largest muscles in our body. It is very easy to train these muscles through sports or everyday activities such as walking or standing. But more research is needed to understand the mechanisms involved, researchers said in the study. It is believed that these mechanisms involve other factors. These could be, for example, age-related changes in immune function, blood flow and nerve signals.