Physical activity is a powerful thing.
A new study suggests that exercise is one of the most important ways to protect the brain from damage that can limit mobility as you age, according to the website Philly.com.
“The association between physical activity and motor function in older adults is well-established,” stated lead author Debra A. Fleischman of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
She continued, “What is less understood is the biological basis of that association.”
Small areas of brain damage called white matter hyperintensities can reportedly be found in MRI scans of many older patients, according to scientists from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Higher levels of this damage have reportedly been linked to difficulty walking and other mobility problems.
In the recent study, which was published in the journal Neurology, researchers reportedly found that the seniors who exercised the most, even if they had high levels of brain damage, maintained their scores on the movement tests.
“Preserving motor function is just as important as preserving mental function to maintain independence and quality of life in older age,” stated Fleischman.
She added, “Our results suggest that daily physical activity may be able to protect motor function from age-related injury to the brain.”
The study involved 167 people with an average age of 80, according to the media outlet News Every Day. The participants reportedly wore movement monitors on their wrists for up to 11 days to measure both exercise and non-exercise activity.
They also reportedly took 11 tests of their movement abilities. Compared to those at the 50th percent in activity level measured using the movement monitors, those in the top 10 percent reportedly had activity equal to walking at 2.5 mph for an additional 1.5 hours each day.
Fleischmann reportedly cautioned that this study does not prove that physical activity directly preserves movement ability, it only shows an association between the two.
“Until we have a more complete understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying chronic late-life motor impairment, and have developed effective drug treatments to lessen the effects of brain injury on motor function, efforts to encourage an active lifestyle in older adults will be a critical element in meeting this public health challenge,” stated Fleischman.