The most effective exercise for improving memory is 'high-intensity interval training' using a treadmill
Previous studies have shown that moderate exercise not only maintains physical health but
Long-Term Improvement in Hippocampal-Dependent Learning Ability in Healthy, Aged Individuals Following High Intensity Interval Training - PubMed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39012673/
HIIT workouts linked with better brain health, research finds – even five years later
https://theconversation.com/hiit-workouts-linked-with-better-brain-health-research-finds-even-five-years-later-236101
The research team studied 194 adults aged 65 to 85 who had no signs of cognitive decline. The subjects were divided into three groups: a 'low-intensity workout group' that performed 30 minutes of stretching, balance, and relaxation exercises, a 'moderate-intensity workout group' that consisted of 30 minutes of brisk walking on a treadmill, and a 'HIIT session group' that consisted of four minutes of intense exercise followed by three minutes of rest, repeated four times a week for six months.
After six months of working out, the subjects were given a task to test their memory, and the results showed that those who participated in the HIIT sessions made fewer errors in the task compared to those who participated in low-intensity and moderate-intensity workouts.
It was also reported that when the same tasks were performed five years later, the HIIT session group's scores were superior to those of the other groups.
In addition, the HIIT group showed less age-related brain volume loss. In fact, MRI scans of the subjects' brains showed that the right hippocampus, a brain region related to memory, was better maintained in the HIIT group than in the other two groups.
Felicity Spencer and her colleagues at the University of Birmingham speculate that the reasons why HIIT sessions have a positive effect on brain health are `` lower blood pressure due to improved cardiopulmonary function '' `` lower
High blood pressure is associated with decreased brain function, so maintaining a healthy blood pressure is crucial for brain health. Long-term inflammation is also associated with decreased brain tissue function , as well as the development of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases . In addition, HIIT workouts increase levels of a protein called ' brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)' in the blood. BDNF stimulates the growth and repair of neurons, but it has been noted that it decreases with age.
The research team raised some limitations with regard to the experiment, saying, 'This study only included people who showed no signs of cognitive decline, so it is unclear whether similar findings would be obtained in people with cognitive impairment. In addition, the HIIT sessions were performed on a treadmill, so different results may be obtained if participants engaged in other forms of exercise.'
However, because the effects of HIIT were still seen five years later, the authors wrote, 'Such sustained improvements in hippocampal function support that such exercise-based interventions can significantly prevent hippocampal cognitive decline in older adults.'
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in Science, Posted by log1r_ut