"People are often encouraged to clock up 10,000 steps a day as part of a healthy routine, but scientists found 3,000 steps or more appeared to delay the brain changes and cognitive decline that Alzheimer's patients experience. Results from the 14-year-long study showed cognitive decline was delayed by an average of three years in people who walked 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day, and by seven years in those who managed 5,000 to 7,000 steps daily."
"Dementia affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide, with Alzheimer's disease the most common cause. In the UK, more than 500,000 people have Alzheimer's. The condition is linked to the buildup of two toxic forms of proteins in the brain, namely amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles. Yau and her colleagues analysed data from 296 people aged 50 to 90 who were cognitively unimpaired at the beginning of the study."
Modest daily walking slows Alzheimer’s progression in older at-risk adults. Walking 3,000–5,000 steps daily delayed cognitive decline by about three years; 5,000–7,000 steps delayed decline by about seven years. Participants aged 50–90 had annual cognitive tests, pedometer step counts, and PET imaging measuring amyloid and tau. Individuals with low baseline amyloid showed minimal cognitive decline and little tau accumulation. Among those with elevated baseline amyloid, higher daily step counts associated with slower tau accumulation and slower cognitive decline. Sedentary participants experienced substantially faster tau buildup and faster cognitive deterioration.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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