H e a l t h & F i t n e s s N e w s l e t t e r

C A S A D O R I N D A

Aerobic Activity Helps Build
Bigger Brains. People already
suffering mild cognitive im-
pairment benefit most.

Another study has shown that
aerobic activity, such as brisk
walking, boosts your brain, ac-
tually increasing the size of the
hippocampus, a key part of the
inner brain involved in form-
ing, storing and processing
memory. When compared to
an earlier study of cognitively
healthy older adults, moreover,
the findings suggest that aero-
bic exercise offers greatest
benefits to those who need it
most: people with mild cogni-
tive impairment (MCI), often a
precursor to Alzheimers dis-
ease.

While the findings from these
studies showed a greater ben-
efit of aerobic exercise in indi-
viduals with MCI, a number of
previous studies have provided
evidence that regular exercise
decreases the risk for cognitive
decline over time, says Tammy
Scott, PhD, a scientist at Tufts
HNRCA Neuroscience and Ag-
ing Laboratory. The results
from these current studies
shouldnt be taken as an

excuse to wait to start an ex-
ercise program.

BRAIN BUILDING: The new
findings, published in the
British Journal of Sports
Medicine, analyzed data from
the earlier Exercise for Cogni-
tion and Everyday Living
(EXCEL) trial. This secondary
analysis, which researchers
said was the first of its kind,
looked at 86 women, ages 70
to 80, already suffering MCI.
Participants were divided into
three groups for a six-month
study period:
1. Group One engaged in a
twice-weekly aerobic
walking program, de-
signed to increase intensi-
ty from 70% to 80% of
each individuals age-
specific target heart rate.
2. Group Two was assigned
to a resistance training
regimen.
3. Group Three, the control
group, did only balance
and stretching activities.
MRI scans were used to as-
sess changes in brain volume.
(continue on next page)






AEROBI C ACTI VI TY
Source: Tufts University
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Sept ember 2014 Vol ume 9, I s s ue 9

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In this Issue:

Aerobic activity 1
Target Heart Rate
Chart
2


H e a l t h & F i t n e s s N e w s l e t t e r
C A S A D O R I N D A Sept ember 2014
At the studys conclusion, those in the
aerobic group saw a 5.6% increase in the
left hippocampus, a 2.5% increase in the
right hippocampus, and a 4% increase in
total hippocampus volume. Neither the
resistance training group nor the control
group experienced significant increases in
hippocampus volume.

AEROBICS VS. AGING: Researcher Teresa
Liu-Ambrose, PhD, of the University of
British Columbia, and her colleagues
commented on their results: With re-
spect to dementia risk, the hippocampus
is a brain structure of intense interest. The
hippocampus is sensitive to aging effects
and significant hippocampal atrophy is a
hallmark of Alzheimers disease. Thus, un-
derstanding the effect of exercise on the
hippocampus will increase our apprecia-
tion of the role exercise may play in de-
mentia prevention.

They noted that the increases in hippo-
campal volume among those with MCI
were double that observed in a previous
study of cognitively healthy older adults.
In that study, participants were assigned
to a 12-month, three-times-weekly aero-
bic exercise regimen.
Liu-Ambrose noted that the com-
parison seems to suggest that the
degree of benefit, in terms of brain struc-
ture, might be greater in people with ear-
ly cognitive impairment than in healthy
older people. In an interview, she added,
The relationship between physical activity
and brain health is pretty robust and has
been demonstrated in healthy older adults,
but we havent known much about its im-
pact in people with MCI who have the
greatest risk for dementia.














YOUR TARGET HEART RATE
According to the American Heart Associa-
tion, your maximum heart rate is about
220 minus your age (155 beats per minute
for age 65, for example). When you start
an exercise program, such as brisk walking,
you should aim for about 50% of that max-
imum. As you get into shape, gradually in-
crease until youre achieving about 85% of
maximum. (See chart above).
AEROBIC ACTIVITY
Continued from page 1

The above article is presented for your consideration. The Medical Committee does not take a position, pro or con, but encourages the reader to
evaluate this and all information based upon their own experiences and professional advice.





Age


Target
Zone
50-85%
(beats per
minute)
Average
Maxi-
mum
Heart
Rate,
100%
(beats per
minute)
20 100-170 200
30 95-162 190
40 90-153 180
50 85-145 170
60 80-136 160
65 78-132 155
70 75-128 150
80 70-119 140