Adherence
Aerobic exercise stimulates neuronal plasticity (specifically neurogenesis in the hippocampus) and improves executive functioning in older adults, with effects comparable to or distinct from strength training.
Incorporate regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, for at least 45 minutes, three times a week. Research indicates this specific type of exercise stimulates the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and improves executive attention and working memory in older adults more effectively than strength training or stretching alone.
Increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus has been consistently observed in exercise intervention studies in animals ... More importantly, the same exercise-driven increase can occur in old age ... After 6 months of random assignment to either aerobic (walking) or non-aerobic (stretching and toning) supervised exercise sessions for 45 min 3 days a week, those assigned to aerobic exercise (a) performed better on an executive attention task and (b) showed greater activation of brain regions associated with working memory
Why this rating
Cites meta-analyses and specific RCTs (Colcombe et al., Smiley-Oyen et al.), but the paper itself is a review.
Source
Neuronal and Cognitive Plasticity: A Neurocognitive Framework for Ameliorating Cognitive Aging
Pamela M. Greenwood et al. · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · 2010
DOI 10.3389/fnagi.2010.00150
More from this paper
- Engaging in novel cognitive experiences and environmental enrichment stimulates neuronal plasticity mechanisms (such as neurogenesis and synaptogenesis) and promotes cognitive integrity, thereby ameliorating cognitive aging.Moderate
- Dietary manipulations, specifically low-fat diets and dietary restriction, enhance neuronal plasticity and support cognitive integrity.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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