All the studies point out the benefits of sport for physical and mental health. Exercising would increase the gray matter of the brain, according to the results of a study published in the journal Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. And physical activity should be used against cognitive decline and in prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (United States) analyzed the medical data of 876 individuals, aged 65 or over, participating in a multicenter study, the multicenter Cardiovascular Health Study. For 5 years, the volunteers took cognitive tests, and the scientists scanned their brains.
Sports activity stimulates the brain
The findings of the study showed that the individuals who exercised the most had a greater volume of gray matter, the area of the brain linked to memory and cognitive abilities, on scans. Scientists have also observed that physical activity also reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease at 5.
“As people age, people become more sedentary, which increases their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and or other dementias. However, this practice of physical activity which can include jogging, swimming, but also gardening or dancing, also benefits people already suffering from the disease or mild cognitive disorders by promoting a smaller reduction in the volume of the material. gray over time. Faced with this effectiveness of exercise, recalls the researcher, there is the ineffectiveness of current treatments ”.
“Rather than wait for memory loss, we could consider prescribing the patient an exercise program and then imaging the evolution of their brain,” concludes Dr. James T. Becker, professor of psychiatry. , at the Pitt School of Medicine.
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