Following a simple aerobic program according to recommended guidelines can make the brain measurably younger, according to a new study. Scientists have found that regular exercise for a year resulted in participants’ brains looking almost a year younger on MRI. The authors of the study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, followed 130 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 58.
During 12 months, they completed moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise. Participants attended one-hour guided lessons twice a week and exercised at home to achieve 150 minutes of exercise per week. They practiced walking, trotting or running on a treadmill and also recorded the use of exercise bikes, elliptical trainers, steppers or rowing machines.
For the first six weeks, they exercised at an intensity of 50 to 60% of the maximum heart rate reserve. Maximum heart rate is usually calculated using the formula 220 minus age. Then they increased the intensity to 60 to 75 percent of the reserve. The authors compared the age of the brain from magnetic resonance imaging with the actual age. After one year, the exercise group showed a measurable decrease in brain age, while the control group showed a slight increase.
“We found that a simple exercise program according to the guidelines can make the brain measurably younger in just twelve months. Even a one-year shift in brain age can make a big difference over decades. From a life expectancy perspective, shifting the brain toward a younger age in middle age can be very important.” said Dr. Lu Wan of the AdventHealth Research Institute. According to his findings support the recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity per week, which may help keep the brain biologically younger well into middle age.
