Aerobic exercise has many effects on brain function, particularly at the hippocampus. Exercise has been shown to increase the rate of adult neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus and decrease the density of perineuronal nets in area CA1. The relationship between the rate of neurogenesis and the density of perineuronal nets in CA1 is robust; however, these studies only ever examined these effects across longer time scales, with running manipulations of 4 weeks or longer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise training is an important strategy to counteract cognitive and brain health decline during aging. Evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses supports the notion of beneficial effects of exercise in cognitively unimpaired and impaired older individuals. However, the effects are often modest, and likely influenced by moderators such as exercise training parameters, sample characteristics, outcome assessments, and control conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia, specifically cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), are the second most common cause of dementia. Currently, there are no specific pharmacological treatments for CSVD, and the use of conventional antidementia drugs is not recommended. Exercise has the potential to prevent and mitigate CSVD-related brain damage and improve cognitive function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Limited mobility in older adults consistently predicts both morbidity and mortality. As individuals age, the rates of mobility disability increase from 1.0% in people aged 15-24 to 20.
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