For a better brain in old age, combine exercise with brain training

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-07-21 01:00

International

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If you want to improve your cognition in old age, combining brain exercises with physical activity could be a good way to go, compared to simple exercise alone, according to international researchers. The team ran a clinical trial with 175 Canadian adults aged 65-84 years old with mild cognitive impairment. Researchers gave the participants different combinations of a 20-week exercise routines involving cardio and strength training, vitamin D, and computerised cognitive – or brain – training. They found that combining physical exercise with cognitive training had a larger effect in improving cognition than exercise alone, and these improvements were maintained after a year follow-up. The addition of vitamin D did not appear to have any benefit, the team added.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Lawson Health Research Institute, Canada

Funder: The SYNERGIC Trial is funded by CCNA (grant No. FRN CNA 137794), which receives funding from the CIHR and other partner organizations. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Montero-Odasso reported grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), including the Institute of Aging, grants from the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), and grants fromWeston Brain Institute and TheWeston Family Foundation, Canada, during the conduct of the study. Dr Middleton reported grants from CIHR related to exercise and cognition, grants from Public Health Agency of Canada related to exercise and dementia, and grants from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council related to exercise and cognition outside the submitted work. Dr Montero-Odasso reported serving on advisory boards for the Canadian Geriatrics Society (CGS) (serving as vice president) and the Canadian Institutes of Health and Research (CIHR) Institute of Aging, and the Research Executive Council of the CCNA; he served as an external advisor on antiracism for CIHR. Dr Bray reported grants from Ontario Graduate Scholarship during the conduct of the study. No other disclosures were reported.

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