Long-Term Brain Boost from Exercise, Study Reveals

Research Findings and Study Summary

Researchers from the University of Queensland have uncovered compelling evidence that high-intensity interval training can significantly enhance cognitive function in older adults. This cognitive improvement can last for up to five years. The study, led by Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett and Dr. Daniel Blackmore, shows that high-intensity exercise not only improves cognition in aging populations but also sustains it, potentially reducing the risks and costs associated with dementia.

The study involved participants engaging in physical exercise and undergoing brain scans. It was found that six months of high-intensity interval training is enough to enhance cognition in healthy older adults and this improvement lasts for up to 5 years.

Insights and Discussion of the Study

Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett highlighted that this is the first controlled study showing that exercise can boost cognition in healthy older adults and not just delay cognitive decline. In previous pre-clinical work, the research team discovered exercise can activate stem cells and increase the production of neurons in the hippocampus, improving cognition.

With Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia affecting almost half a million Australians, if a simple intervention like exercise can change the trajectory of aging and keep people cognitively healthier for longer, it can potentially save our community from the enormous personal, economic, and social costs associated with dementia.

Exercise Intensity and Its Impact on Cognitive Improvement

Different levels of exercise intensity were evaluated during the study. However, Dr. Daniel Blackmore notes that only the high-intensity interval exercise led to cognitive improvement that was retained for up to 5 years. High-resolution MRI scans of this group showed structural and connectivity changes in the hippocampus, the area responsible for learning and memory. Furthermore, blood biomarkers that changed in correlation to improvements in cognition were also found. These biomarkers can be useful in predicting the effectiveness of the exercise a person is doing.

The Larger Implications and Future Research

With 1 in 3 people aged 85 years likely to develop dementia, the impact of this research is far-reaching. The findings can inform exercise guidelines for older people and the researchers are now looking at the genetic factors that may regulate a person’s response to exercise. The use of biomarkers as a diagnostic tool for exercise also needs further research.

The research received ongoing support from the Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation. The full study can be found in the Aging and Disease journal and the reference for the paper is “Long-Term Improvement in Hippocampal-Dependent Learning Ability in Healthy, Aged Individuals Following High Intensity Interval Training” by Daniel G. Blackmore, et al., 2024. Here is the DOI: 10.14336/AD.2024.0642.