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Physical Activity May Boost Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease may see modest improvement in cognitive function through regular physical activity, JAMA reports.
Some 170 people aged 50 or older with memory impairment were randomized to regular physical activity (three 50-minute sessions of moderate-intensity exercise per week) or usual care for 24 weeks. The intervention group received information on exercise and goal-setting through a workshop, a manual, and newsletters, plus phone calls to monitor progress.
At 18 months' follow-up, patients in the exercise group had slightly higher cognition scores and better delayed recall than controls. (They also exercised some 2 hours more per week.)
An editorialist writes: "If exercise is protective and if its effects can be sustained, presumably with minimal adverse effects and costs, then it becomes an attractive option and perhaps a key strategy to help reduce cognitive morbidity in an increasingly aging society."
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JAMA editorial (Subscription required)
Published in Physician's First Watch September 3, 2008
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