Seniors who walk regularly lower their risk for dementia

Seniors who walk regularly and also do other forms of moderate exercise are protecting themselves against a certain form of dementia.

According to new research people age 65 and older significantly lower their risk of developing vascular dementia which is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

The study by Italian researchers was conducted over a four-year period and involved 749 men and women in Italy who were over age 65; at the start of the study none of the participants had memory problems.

The researchers measured the amount of energy used in their weekly physical activities and this included walking, climbing stairs, and moderate activities, such as house and yard work, gardening and light carpentry.

They found that by the end of the study period, 54 people had developed Alzheimer's disease and 27 had developed vascular dementia.

Vascular dementia is caused when blood flow to the brain is impaired and blockages narrow the blood vessels supplying the brain; complete blockages lead to strokes and may also lead to vascular dementia.

People with conditions that damage blood vessels throughout the body, such as high blood pressure or diabetes are at an increased risk.

The research revealed that the top one-third of participants who exerted the most energy walking were 27 percent less likely to develop vascular dementia than those people in the bottom one-third of the group.

The participants who scored in the top one-third for the most energy exerted in moderate activities lowered their risk of vascular dementia by 29 percent and people who scored in the top one-third for total physical activity lowered their risk by 24 percent compared to those in the bottom one-third.

Study author Dr. Giovanni Ravaglia, from the University Hospital S. Orsola Malpighi, in Bologna, Italy says an easy to perform moderate activity such as walking provided the same cognitive benefits as other, more demanding activities.

Ravaglia suggests that physical activity may improve cerebral blood flow and lower the risk of cerebrovascular disease, which is a risk factor for vascular dementia and may also stimulate the release of key brain chemicals, and enhance the development of new nerve cells or the connections among those cells.

The study also found that physical activity was not associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Ravaglia also says that further research is needed about the mechanisms operating between physical activity and a person's memory and whether Alzheimer's disease is not preventable through exercise.

They say it is also possible that an active lifestyle helps protect the aging brain by keeping older adults mentally stimulated and socially active.

Experts advise that all healthy adults try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week.

They advise older adults who want to start a new exercise routine to talk with their doctors first.

The study is published in the December 19, 2007, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.