Exercise may improve brain function and could reduce dementia risk, thanks to specialised cells that are activated after exercise.
This study observed 21 volunteers who had an average age of 60 and prediabetes. Over a course of two weeks, participants engaged in 12 60-minute exercise sessions, from moderate to high intensity. A glucose drink was taken before and after training, and researchers took blood samples at the start and end of each session.
Researchers used the blood samples to study the role of extracellular vesicles produced in the brain that carry proteins involved in insulin sensitivity. After exercise, these neuronal vesicles increased, also increasing insulin sensitivity.
Insulin has been recognised to regulate cognition, and insufficient levels of insulin in the brain can increase the chance of developing
dementia and Alzheimer’s. ‘We believe this work is important because it suggests exercise may work to improve cognition and memory by improving the abilities of insulin to act on the brain,’ said Professor Steven Malin. ‘Our work suggests that therapies that target brain insulin action may be able to ward off dementia.’
Image | Unsplash
