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Four hours of exercise a week can improve memory in the elderly, research has shown

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Date published: 
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
News source: 
The Telegraph
Region: 
United States of America
Featured item on home page: 
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In a study carried out by University of Washington School of Medicine a group of men and women with mild memory problem aged around 70 were assigned to have one hour of high intensity exercise with a trainer four days a week for six months while the others just carried out gentle stretching.

The group who exercised showed improvements in their thinking skills, with a more marked difference among the women.

In another study by a team at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in Minnesota, it was found that elderly people who had exercised since middle age by taking brisk walks, doing aerobics, yoga, strength training or swimming were 39 per cent less likely to have memory problems.

Those who exercised into old age were almost one third less likely to have problems.

Light exercise such as bowling, slow dancing or playing golf with a cart did not reduce the risk of memory problems.

Both studies were published in the Archives of Neurology.

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