Hum Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Elderly people who get about by walking are less likely to suffer mental decline or even dementia, a study says. Brain scans revealed that older people walking between six and nine miles a week appeared to have more brain tissue in key areas. The Pittsburgh University study of 299 people suggested they had less "brain shrinkage", which is linked to memory problems. The research was reported in the journal Neurology. The volunteers, who had an average age of 78, were checked for signs of "cognitive impairment" or even dementia. The Pittsburgh team also had access to brain scan results from four years previously which measured the amount of "grey matter" in their brains. Brain health This is found at various parts of the brain and is known to diminish in many people as they get older. Each of them had been quizzed in their 60s about the number of city blocks they walked each week as part of their normal routine. The results showed that those who walked at least 72 blocks - six to nine miles - a week had a greater volume of grey matter. Four years after the scans, 40% of the group had measurable cognitive impairment or even dementia. more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted October 15, 2010 Member Share Posted October 15, 2010 That makes sense. A lot of elder people I know seem to slow down with age and then they start forgetting things. It's nice to know that we can do something about that as we get older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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