Aerobic Exercise Makes The Brain Younger, Scientists Just Can't Explain Why
Study Finds • • health
Key Points:
- A year of consistent aerobic exercise (150 minutes per week) made the brains of middle-aged adults appear about seven months younger, as shown by MRI scans analyzed with machine learning.
- Despite improvements in fitness, no measured factors such as blood pressure, weight, or brain growth factors explained the brain age reduction, leaving the underlying mechanisms unknown.
- The study involved 130 sedentary adults aged 26 to 58, who followed moderate aerobic activities like walking or jogging, demonstrating that accessible exercise routines can positively impact brain aging.
- Brain age is a predictive marker linked to dementia risk and cognitive decline, and midlife is a critical period where interventions like exercise may alter the brain’s aging trajectory.
- While the exact biological pathways remain unclear, the findings
