Researchers from University College London have found that regular exercise at least once a month as an adult is associated with better mental performance later in life. Research published Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
The researchers used data from 1,417 people born the same week in 1946. The health status of the participants was followed throughout their lives. Periodically, they filled out questionnaires about physical activity: running, dancing, gardening, walking and fitness.
At age 69, participants were given cognitive tests, such as finding and crossing out all the “Bs” in a text.
The study showed that any effort to increase activity can protect against cognitive decline in old age.
Researchers found that people who exercised at least once a month at some point in their lives scored best on cognitive tests at age 69. This effect was seen in those who trained at age 30 and then quit, and those who had trained all their lives.
The earlier the participant started to play sports, the better their cognitive abilities were in old age. However, even if a person leads a sedentary life throughout his life and starts sports at age 60, his cognitive functions at age 69 are better than their sedentary peers. More than five workouts per month yielded the greatest benefit, even if the participant quit the sport.
The nature of this effect is still unknown. The researchers found that more active people are also more likely to have a college education and grow up in a well-to-do family, which in itself may reduce their risk of cognitive impairment.