Don’t skip lifting at the gym next time. It’s just as important as aerobic exercise, which has been linked to improved cognitive performance. Anaerobic resistance training aimed at muscle strength may help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and even ease symptoms, a new study finds.
A team of researchers from the Federal University of São Paulo and the University of São Paulo in Brazil assessed the effects of resistance training on cognitive performance in a mouse study.
During this period trialThe researchers observed that mice that underwent resistance exercise for more than four weeks had fewer amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease in their brains. They also had higher numbers of microglia, a type of immune cell that helps clear away plaque.
The mice were less restless and moved less in their space. Blood tests taken at the end of the trial showed lower levels of corticosterone in them, indicating less stress. These are positive signs that resistance training can combat Alzheimer’s, as increased agitation and stress are associated with the disease.
“We wanted to investigate whether this kind of exercise had a stress effect, and to our surprise we found that it was not only not stressful, but also reduced stress compared to a sedentary group! What’s more, exercise also reduced stress. stress.” was able to reduce beta-amyloid levels in the hippocampus, and in another study by our group, neuroinflammation was also reduced by reducing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines,” explain Henning Ulrich is the corresponding author of the study.
Although the exact mechanism by which exercise helps Alzheimer’s is unknown, researchers believe it may be due to increased physical activity reducing inflammation, improving blood vessel function, and hormonal regulation.
During resistance training, when muscles work against weight or force, substances called myokines are released into the body. The researchers believe that these myokines, which have anti-inflammatory properties, may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
“A growing body of data underscores the positive impact of physical activity on Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Research shows that active people have a lower risk of developing the disease compared with inactive people,” says geneticist and Parkinson’s disease researcher Sumeet Kumar, who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today.
Published by Medicaldaily.com