VANCOUVER -- It's estimated 1 in every 8 Americans over 65 has Alzheimer’s disease, and that figure is expected to grow as baby boomers age.
It may sound surprising but new research presented today suggests something as simple as the way we walk could be an early warning sign of mental decline.
Subtle motor changes or gait speed changes that you can detect may be a warning system to kind of let you know there might be some abnormal pathology in the brain that could lead to cognitive decline later on.
Researchers looked at the relationship between brain function and the gait of a person's walk, measuring things like speed, rhythm and stride.
Changes in walking are expected with age and slowing down is not necessarily a cause for concern. But, people with Alzheimer’s and those with less advanced cognitive impairment, walked slower than people with normal mental function.
It's been generally accepted that regular physical exercise can improve health as we age age, but now studies are looking at which types of activities are most effective, and why.
In another study presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found evidence that suggests walking could help decrease known risk factors for Alzheimer’s more than other types of exercise.
A part of the brain responsible for regulating memory, emotion and learning characteristically shrinks in patients with Alzheimer’s but, in people who exercised aerobically by walking regularly For a year it grew, compared to those who simply stretched and toned, something experts say is evidence lifestyle can impact the brain even as we age.
With more research, understanding the relationships between exercise, motor skills and mental function could help doctors diagnose, treat and monitor dementia.
(Information courtesy NBC News)
