Mayo Clinic Finds Exercise Can Reduce the Risk of Mild Cognitive ...( ROCHESTER Minn. April 16 2008 --...),Health

ROCHESTER, Minn., April 16, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new Mayo Clinic study found that regular physical exercise may help protect against mild cognitive impairment, a disorder of the brain that affects nerve cells involved in thinking abilities. This study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Chicago on April 16.

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment can function reasonably well in everyday activities, but often have difficulty remembering details of conversations, events and upcoming appointments. Most (but not all) patients with mild cognitive impairment develop a progressive decline in their thinking abilities over time. Alzheimer's disease is usually the underlying cause.

"While the benefits of exercise are well documented for improving overall health, this is one of the first studies to specifically look at whether it can help protect against the development of mild cognitive impairment," says Yonas Endale Geda, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neuropsychiatrist and the study's lead investigator.

As part of the ongoing Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, Dr. Geda and a team of Mayo Clinic researchers randomly identified 868 individuals 70 to 89 years old. Of those, 128 had mild cognitive impairment and 740 were cognitively normal. The team conducted surveys to gather data on the individuals' physical exercise between the ages of 50 and 65 and one year prior to the survey. They found that moderate physical exercise two to five times per week during the ages of 50 to 65 was associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment. However, the individual's exercise habits one year prior to the survey did not appear to be associated with a reduced risk.

According to Dr. Geda, these findings need to be replicated in a prospective cohort study. Additionally, the study did not address how physical exercise could protect against mild cognitive impairment.

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