Exercise reduces dementia risk

Washington: Any muscle flexing that gets the heart pumping is likely to cut dementia risk and slow down its progression, says a new research. Dementia is the slow deterioration of mental functions. It has adverse effects on the performance of daily activities and human interaction. Researchers from Mayo Clinic, in the US, examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive (mental) abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia. The researchers broadly defined exercise as enough aerobic physical activity to raise the heart rate and increase the body's need for oxygen, reports the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Examples include walking, gym workouts and activities at home such as shovelling snow or raking leaves, according to a Mayo statement. "We culled through all the scientific literature we could find on the subject of exercise and cognition, reviewing over 1,600 papers, with 130 bearing directly on this issue," said J. Eric Ahlskog, neurologist at Mayo Clinic. The researchers noted that brain imaging studies revealed concrete evidence of favourable effects of exercise on human brain integrity. "Whether addressing our patients in primary care or neurology clinics, we should continue to encourage exercise for not only general health, but also cognitive health," Ahlskog said.