MRI Shows Benefit of Exercise on Aging Brains

A study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed that the areas of the brain adversely affected by aging are the ones to benefit the most from regular exercise. The study was published in the February 2003 issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

Researchers say this is the first study to show anatomic differences in gray and white matter between people over 55 who are physically fit and those who are less fit. As people age, both gray and white matter shrink in a pattern closely matched by declines in cognitive performance. The study involved 55 individuals aged 55-79. Fitness ranged from sedentary to very fit. Fitness was measured by the results of one-mile walking and treadmill stress tests. Then 3D MRI scans were performed, from which the researchers estimated tissue atrophy in the targeted brain regions.

Another finding was that exercise programs involving both aerobic and strength training produced better results on cognitive abilities than either one alone. More than 30 minutes per session produced the greatest benefit. Yet another finding was that women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) benefited more than other women.

"It is fitness as it interacts with age that has the positive effects. Older adults show a real decline in brain density in white and gray areas but fitness slows that decline,” said Arthur F. Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA), who led the study.




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