Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Dementia with aging is associated with every risk factor
for heart attacks: smoking, overweight, lack of exercise, high
blood pressure and cholesterol, abdominal obesity, diabetes,
kidney damage, eating too much saturated fat, refined
carbohydrates and calories, not eating enough vegetables, and so
forth. A study from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland shows
that if you don't want to lose your mental function with aging, you
had better start and stay on a vigorous exercise program
(Neurology, October 2006).
Four hundred and sixty survivors of the Scottish Mental
Survey of 1932 were tested on the same general memory tests at
age 11 and again at age 79. They also were tested at age 79 for
their level of physical fitness by having tests for grip strength, 6-
meter walk time, and lung function. Those who had the highest
scores for physical fitness also had the highest scores for mental
function. They also found that those with the highest IQ at age 11
had the best lung functions at age 79, which may mean that
intelligent people are more likely to stay in shape. This study adds
to the evidence that physical exercise protects your brain. More
January 15, 2007