Staying Fit May Preserve Your Brain Mass

A study published in Neurology, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that people in the early or milder stages of Alzheimer's disease tended to have more massive brains when they exercised regularly.

The study was performed by having elderly individuals run on a treadmill while various fitness parameters were measured, and also by scanning their brains to measure the overall size and density of various types of brain tissue. The results indicated a positive correlation between fitness and brain size, which led the researchers to conclude that regular exercise could help to stave off some of the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease onset.

However, this conclusion seem somewhat premature, as the results of the study are insufficient to establish causation. Preventing brain shrinkage is certainly desirable, as loss of brain mass is known to be connected with the onset of cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer's. However, the brain is also responsible for motor functions that would likely have an effect on fitness markers. It is just as plausible that brain shrinkage caused a reduction of overall cardiorespiratory fitness as to say the reverse. This means that it may be plausible that a diet pill can work to reduce the risk factors as much as exercise would.

However, there is little dispute that remaining physically fit helps to prevent a wide variety of age-related maladies. There can be little argument that people at risk for Alzheimer's disease, like people who are not at risk, should be involved in regular cardiovascular exercise as well as weight training.