Train Your Heart to Protect Your Mind
A study released August 25th from researchers at the University of Montreal finds that exercising to improve our cardiovascular strength may protect us from cognitive impairment as we age. “Our body’s arteries stiffen with age, and the vessel hardening is believed to begin in the aorta, the main vessel coming out of the heart, before reaching the brain. Indeed, the hardening may contribute to cognitive changes that occur during a similar time frame,” explained the first author of the study. “We found that older adults whose aortas were in a better condition and who had greater aerobic fitness performed better on a cognitive test. We therefore think that the preservation of vessel elasticity may be one of the mechanisms that enables exercise to slow cognitive aging.” For the full article with references, CLICK HERE.
