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Staying active and in shape can enhance your brain and mental abilities as you age, according to two sets of experiments. Researchers found that even moderate physical activity appears to protect the brain.
In the first study, 41 older adults with no signs of dementia took an exercise test to measure their endurance, and researchers measured their brain activity while performing certain tasks. Those who had a high level of fitness not only did better on the activity, but also their brains demonstrated much more activity in the area that deals with attention.
In the second study, participants were assigned to either participate in a stretching and toning exercise group or an aerobic activity, such as walking, group. After six months, those in the aerobic group had improved cardiovascular health, and a corresponding improvement in attention activity, while those in the stretching and toning group experienced no significant changes.
Researchers note that increasing fitness does not mean going from a sedentary lifestyle to running marathons, but rather walking a couple of miles a few times a week.
Yahoo! News February 16, 2004
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