According to a study, regular moderate to intense exercise could protect the brain from "silent strokes," small brain lesions that are the first sign of cerebrovascular disease.
"These 'silent strokes' are more significant than the name implies, because they have been associated with an increased risk of falls and impaired mobility, memory problems and even dementia, as well as stroke," said study author Joshua Z. Willey. "Encouraging older people to take part in moderate to intense exercise may be an important strategy for keeping their brains healthy."
The researchers examined data of 1,238 older people who had never had a stroke. At the start of the study, 43 percent of the participants reported that they had no regular exercise; 36 percent engaged in regular light exercise, such as golf, walking, bowling or dancing; and 21 percent engaged in regular moderate to intense exercise, such as hiking, tennis, swimming, biking, jogging or racquetball.
Approximately six years later, when the participants were an average of 70 years old, the researchers made MRI scans of their brains.The brain scans revealed that 16 percent had small brain lesions called silent strokes. The participants who reported engaging in moderate to intense exercise were 40 percent less likely to have the silent strokes than those who did no regular exercise.
The results had taken into account other vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. There was no difference of the likelihood of silent strokes between those who engaged in light exercise and those who did not exercise.
"Of course, light exercise has many other beneficial effects, and these results should not discourage people from doing light exercise," Willey said.
Participants who exercised regularly at a moderate to intense level who had Medicaid or no health insurance were no less likely to have silent strokes than people who did no regular exercise. "It may be that the overall life difficulties for people with no insurance or on Medicaid lessens the protective effect of regular exercise," Willey said.
"These 'silent strokes' are more significant than the name implies, because they have been associated with an increased risk of falls and impaired mobility, memory problems and even dementia, as well as stroke," said study author Joshua Z. Willey. "Encouraging older people to take part in moderate to intense exercise may be an important strategy for keeping their brains healthy."
The researchers examined data of 1,238 older people who had never had a stroke. At the start of the study, 43 percent of the participants reported that they had no regular exercise; 36 percent engaged in regular light exercise, such as golf, walking, bowling or dancing; and 21 percent engaged in regular moderate to intense exercise, such as hiking, tennis, swimming, biking, jogging or racquetball.
Approximately six years later, when the participants were an average of 70 years old, the researchers made MRI scans of their brains.The brain scans revealed that 16 percent had small brain lesions called silent strokes. The participants who reported engaging in moderate to intense exercise were 40 percent less likely to have the silent strokes than those who did no regular exercise.
The results had taken into account other vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. There was no difference of the likelihood of silent strokes between those who engaged in light exercise and those who did not exercise."Of course, light exercise has many other beneficial effects, and these results should not discourage people from doing light exercise," Willey said.
Participants who exercised regularly at a moderate to intense level who had Medicaid or no health insurance were no less likely to have silent strokes than people who did no regular exercise. "It may be that the overall life difficulties for people with no insurance or on Medicaid lessens the protective effect of regular exercise," Willey said.
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