Physical exercise reduces severity of Alzheimer’s symptoms

A study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia revealed that physical exercise can improve cognitive function and reduce the severity of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers looked at the effects of physical activity in people with early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease.

• Early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease is a rare form of Alzheimer’s disease that develops before the age of 65.
• There is not much known on the effects of physical activity in people with early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease.
• For the study, the researchers examined 372 individuals enrolled at the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network study.
• They divided the participants into two groups: high exercisers and low exercisers.
• They measured the effects of physical exercise on the cognitive performance, functional status, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid of the participants.
• The researchers found that those who have high levels of physical activity exhibited significantly better cognitive and functional performance and significantly less Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in cerebrospinal fluid than individuals with low physical activity.
• In addition, individuals with high physical activity scored higher on Mini-Mental State Examination at expected symptom onset compared with low exercisers.
• After 15.1 years, high exercisers were diagnosed with very mild dementia compared to low exercisers.

In conclusion, the findings of the study suggest that physical activity has a beneficial effect on cognition and Alzheimer’s disease pathology in individuals with early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s.

To read more studies on the effects of physical activity on the brain, visit Alzheimers.news.

Journal Reference:

Müller S, Preische O, Sohrabi HR, Gräber S, Jucker M, Ringman JM, Martins RN, Mcdade E, Schofield PR, Ghetti B, et al. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, COGNITION, AND ALZHEIMER PATHOLOGY IN AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. November 2018;14(11):1427-1437. DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.06.3059