You may want to start hitting that jogging track soon, as according to a new study, continuous exercise can help protect the brain from age-related degenerative diseases.
Posted on ScienceDaily.com, the study was done by psychologists and neuroimaging experts from the University of Edinburgh, who found that people over 70 years old who still regularly exercise have a lower chance of suffering from brain shrinkage, which can cause memory problems.
Analyzing the MRI scans of almost 700 people who were 70 years old and above, researchers revealed that those who exercised regularly had fewer damaged areas in their brain’s white matter, or the “wiring” which transmits neural messages. They also found out that active senior citizens had more gray matter, which are parts of the brain with nerve cell bodies--than their more laid-back counterparts.
This just proves that age isn’t an excuse: no matter how old you are, it’s important to have the will and discipline to keep active. This won’t only boost your physical well-being, but your mental health as well.
(Photo by Dave Nin via Flickr Creative Commons)
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