What Does The Pineal Gland Do?

Science Reveals How To Avoid Dementia

A new study from Sweden suggests that improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) may help reduce the risk of dementia, even for people with a genetic predisposition to the condition. CRF measures how well the heart and lungs deliver oxygen to muscles during physical activity, and it tends to decline with age, starting in the 20s and continuing to decrease significantly as people reach their 70s. Low CRF is linked to increased risks of heart disease, strokes, and early death.

The study, led by Weili Xu at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, involved more than 61,000 participants between the ages of 39 and 70, all of whom were free of dementia at the start. The researchers measured their CRF with a six-minute stationary bike test and assessed their genetic risk for dementia using a standard Alzheimer’s risk score. The participants were followed for up to 12 years.

Out of the participants, 553 (0.9%) were diagnosed with dementia during the follow-up period. The study found that individuals with higher CRF experienced a delay in dementia onset by nearly 1.5 years compared to those with low CRF. Furthermore, high CRF reduced the risk of dementia by 35% among individuals with moderate to high genetic risk for the condition.

The study indicates a strong link between better CRF and a lower likelihood of developing dementia, though it doesn’t prove causation. The researchers noted that the actual number of dementia cases may have been underreported because the UK Biobank participants tend to be healthier than the general population. Additionally, some participants with certain health conditions were excluded from the fitness test. Despite these limitations, the study suggests that improving CRF could be a valuable strategy in dementia prevention, even for those genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s.

Overall, the researchers call for further studies to explore the relationship between CRF and brain health, especially its potential in mitigating the impact of genetic risk factors for dementia. Enhancing CRF may offer a non-invasive way to help prevent cognitive decline and improve overall brain function in aging individuals.