Burning Calories Tied To Higher Brain Volume, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Study
Older people who expend more energy on physical activity each week tend to have more gray matter in their brains than less active peers, according to a recent U.S. study.
Exercise, including activities like walking and running, is linked to preserved brain structure, even among individuals with mild and severe symptoms of mental decline, said coauthor James T. Becker, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
“The volumes of these critical brain regions themselves predict the transition from normal cognition to some degree of impairment (mild or severe),” Becker told Reuters Health by email.
Exercise, including activities like walking and running, is linked to preserved brain structure, even among individuals with mild and severe symptoms of mental decline, said coauthor James T. Becker, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
“The volumes of these critical brain regions themselves predict the transition from normal cognition to some degree of impairment (mild or severe),” Becker told Reuters Health by email.