A healthier brain for seniors could be just a short low-intensity workout away, according to a new Western University study.
Researchers from Western’s School of Kinesiology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience found even as little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise enhances cognitive function in older adults, including those who have previously been encouraged not to engage in physical activity.
The study included 17 older adults with an average age of 73. They were put through aerobic tests at moderate, heavy and very heavy levels of intensity, and had to complete a pre- and post-exercise task to measure executive function. Researchers discovered that the brain boost was experienced by participants at all levels of exercise intensity.
“Discovering that the executive benefit of exercise can be experienced across the spectrum of exercise intensity, and also by people of all fitness levels, showcases how impactful exercise can be,” study author and Western Professor Matthew Heath said in a statement. “And the fact that the cognitive benefits of exercise can be realized almost immediately could increase the likelihood of people engaging in physical activity.”
The study was recently published in Brain Research.
