Strength Training May Keep Alzheimer's At Bay

We’ve known for a long time that regular exercise is an important part of mental health, but a new study is suggesting that, when it comes to preventing dementia, not all exercises are created equal.

Studies presented at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference found that resistance training was particularly beneficial for improving the cognitive abilities of older adults.

While the studies were small, all including 150 participants or less, they did seemed to indicate that resistance training, such as weight lifting or using resistance bands, could possibly be an intervention for dementia in older adults. MRI images showed that weight lifting resulted in most improved brain function.

What was also striking was that those who started with a higher cognitive baseline actually gained the most benefits from exercise.

These studies may be preliminary, but researchers are optimistic that exercise could have a huge impact on how the medical community manages patients at risk for dementia.

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Source: CNN.com