Alzheimer’s disease has limited treatments for its symptoms, but the progression is almost always inevitable. As a result, the scientific community regularly explores lifestyle changes, such as diets or exercise, that can be incorporated earlier to reduce Alzheimer’s risk. A study from the Federal University of São Paulo, published in the Brain Research journal, adds to this ongoing list as the findings revealed the benefits of aerobic exercise for brain health.
The study found that exercise helps in targeting Alzheimer’s disease right from its very biological roots. The study explained the biological basis of the neurodegenerative disease. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the buildup of harmful proteins in the brain, specifically amyloid plaques and tau tangles, along with increased brain inflammation and neuron damage.
The study examined aged rats and made them go through an eight-week aerobic exercise program to understand the effect of exercise on brain health.
The findings were significant. After the exercise program, there was a 76 percent reduction in amyloid plaques and a 63 percent reduction in tau tangles—both harmful proteins—compared to sedentary rats.
Similarly, Alzheimer’s disease is also marked by damage to neurons. However aerobic exercise increased the number of healthy and functioning neurons by 2.5 times.
Even brain inflammation in rats went down by 55-68 percent.
The study further shed light on the benefits of exercise for better brain health. It further talked about how aerobic exercise targets the harmful protein accumulation in the brain and optimizes brain cell interactions.
Furthermore, the study emphasised the role of microglia, the brain’s immune cells, in reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy environment. It removes ‘cellular debris’ and lowers inflammation. Exercise helps to tap into these cell’s functions. Exercise also regulates iron metabolism in the brain, protecting neurons from iron-related damage.