The July 15 issue of the journal, Neurology, published by the American Academy of Neurology, carries the details of a report conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas School of Medicine that offers the hope that remaining physically fit past the age of 60 may help delay the cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in the early stages of the disease.

Jeffrey M. Burns, MD, a professor at the medical school and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, led a team of researchers who analyzed the connection between physical fitness and brain size in a group of 121 people who were 60 years old and older. The group included 57 people in the early stages of the disease but the others did not have any symptoms of dementia from any cause.

In the group of study participants experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the more physically fit a patient proved to be, the larger his or her brain measured. Smaller brain size was consistent with Alzheimer’s patients who were less physically fit. Other issues, such as gender, age, level of dementia, frailty, or physical activity, proved to be insignificant factors when comparing cognitive function to physical fitness level.

In the group of study participants who had no traces of dementia, brain size did not seem to be affected by level of physical fitness.

For all study participants, physical fitness was determined by treadmill use and brain size was determined using brain scans. The brain scans measured for gray matter, white matter, and overall volume of the entire brain.

The University of Kansas study is thought to be one of the first to examine the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and cardiorespiratory health and the research team feels it offers the possibility that patients diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease may be able to fend off mental decline caused by decreasing brain volume by maintaining a healthy level of physical fitness.

In spite of the promising results hinted at by the findings of his study, Burns cautions against taking his study as conclusive proof of the cognitive health benefits of exercise when faced with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He says his research team measured participants’ fitness levels at only one point in time, suggesting more comprehensive analysis over a longer time is likely to be more revealing.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles, the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Oppenheimer Foundation, and the University of Kansas Endowment Association all provided funding for this study.

Source: American Academy of Neurology