What kinds of exercise are good for brain health?

My interest in reaping the brain health benefits of exercise comes not only from my work as a physical therapist and researcher in this field, but is also driven from a very personal place that unfortunately many of us have witnessed or will witness in our lifetime: a family member with disabling memory loss. In my case, it was seeing the crippling effects Alzheimer’s disease had on my grandfather, who passed away from complications related to his condition not so long ago. What do we know about exercise and brain health? As of today we know: 1) adults 65 and older are the fastest growing demographic group, reaching 20% of the world population by 2030; and 2) maintaining a sharp mind is a top priority for them. The idea that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body dates back at least 2,000 years, and the benefits of exercise beyond physical health is not a new idea either. The New England Journal of Medicine said this in 1887: “Exercise sustains and improves bodily health by expanding the lungs, quickening the circulation, and promoting growth in muscles and bones. But we know that besides doing all these things, exercise may be made to contribute to brain growth and to the symmetrical development of the mental faculties.” The key question that remains unanswered 130 years since that NEJM article is: what type of exercise should we do, and how much of it is needed to specifically target brain health? What is the ideal exercise for brain health? The verdict is still out o...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Brain and cognitive health Exercise and Fitness Healthy Aging Source Type: blogs