A proof-of-concept brain imaging study suggests that exercising four or five times a week may delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease in people who already have toxic build-ups of beta-amyloid protein. Prof. Zhang and colleagues monitored "the effect of a progressive, moderate to high intensity" program of aerobic exercise on memory, executive function, brain volume, and cortical levels of beta-amyloid. They also monitored total brain volume and the brain volume of the hippocampus as secondary outcomes. The hippocampus deals primarily with learning and memory, and Alzheimer's usually severely affects the area. If these findings can be replicated in a larger trial, then maybe one day doctors will be telling high risk patients to start an exercise plan. In fact, there's no harm in doing so now." Says Prof. Rong Zhang. (Credits: www.medicalnewstoday.com)
