The key lies in keeping the volume of some brain areas constant, in particular the hippocampus
Use the bicycle As a means of daily transport to move, shopping or going to the post office is good not only to the planet: it can also significantly reduce the risk of developing some forms of dementia. This is what emerges from a study published on Jama Network Openconducted by a research group of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology of Wuhan, who analyzed the clinical data of almost half a million people in the United Kingdom. The hypothesis is supported by previous observations on physical exercise and spatial orientation, and would demonstrate that a daily scrag can help to preserve some key areas of the brain involved in memory processes.
A large study over 13 years
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The researchers examined the data of the UK Biobank, selecting a sample of 479,723 individuals with an average age of 56.5 yearswithout diagnosis of dementia at the time of enrollment. The health of the participants was therefore monitored For a period of 13 yearswith particular attention to the type of transport usually used. At the end of the study, the authors found a significantly lower incidence of dementia Among those who regularly moved by bicycle compared to those who preferred cars, buses and even walking. The benefit was observed in relation to all the main forms of dementia considered: Alzheimer, early dementia and senile dementia.
Bike and dementia, the protective role of the hippocampus
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The most relevant aspect that emerged from the study concerns the conservation of the volume of the hippocampus. In subjects who regularly used the bicycle, this brain region was on average more voluminouswhich suggests a protective effect on the center of memory. And mind you, the association between physical exercise and cognitive well -being has been known for some time, but the data obtained by Chinese researchers strengthen the idea that the type of movement carried out – in this case, the aerobic activity combined with the orientation in space – can directly affect the prevention of neurodegenration.
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