Long-Term Cognitive Benefits of High-Intensity Exercise for Seniors

Researchers from the University of Queensland have discovered that high-intensity interval exercise can significantly enhance brain function in older adults, with benefits lasting up to five years. Led by Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett and Dr. Daniel Blackmore at UQ's Queensland Brain Institute, this groundbreaking study involved volunteers aged 65 to 85 who engaged in a six-month exercise regimen.

Follow-up assessments five years later showed that those who participated in high-intensity interval training continued to experience improved cognitive functions, even if they hadn't maintained regular exercise. This study is pivotal as it suggests that short-term exercise interventions can have long-lasting effects on brain health, potentially delaying or even preventing the cognitive decline associated with aging and dementia.

Source : Daniel G. Blackmore, Mia A. Schaumberg, Maryam Ziaei, Samuel Belford, Xuan Vinh To, Imogen O’keeffe, Anne Bernard, Jules Mitchell, Emily Hume, Grace L. Rose, Thomas Shaw, Ashley York, Markus Barth, Elizabeth J. Cooper, Tina L. Skinner, Fatima Nasrallah, Stephan Riek, Perry F. Bartlett. Long-Term Improvement in Hippocampal-Dependent Learning Ability in Healthy, Aged Individuals Following High Intensity Interval Training. Aging and disease, 2024 DOI: 10.14336/AD.2024.0642

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