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Review
. 2017 Feb 20;7(2):22.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci7020022.

Physical Activity: A Viable Way to Reduce the Risks of Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease, and Vascular Dementia in Older Adults

Patrick J Gallaway  1 , Hiroji Miyake  2 , Maciej S Buchowski  3 , Mieko Shimada  4 , Yutaka Yoshitake  5 , Angela S Kim  6 , Nobuko Hongu  7
Affiliations
Review

Physical Activity: A Viable Way to Reduce the Risks of Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease, and Vascular Dementia in Older Adults

Patrick J Gallaway et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

A recent alarming rise of neurodegenerative diseases in the developed world is one of the major medical issues affecting older adults. In this review, we provide information about the associations of physical activity (PA) with major age-related neurodegenerative diseases and syndromes, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and mild cognitive impairment. We also provide evidence of PA's role in reducing the risks of these diseases and helping to improve cognitive outcomes in older adults. Finally, we describe some potential mechanisms by which this protective effect occurs, providing guidelines for future research.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; aging; cognitive decline; dementia; health; mild cognitive impairment; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The evidence of PA’s role in reducing the risks of cognitive decline in older adults. The dotted arrows indicate that more research is warranted.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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