A recent study suggests that making a small adjustment to our daily habits might significantly delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association indicate that about one in nine Americans aged 65 and older are affected by the condition.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that gradually leads to a decline in cognitive abilities, affecting memory, reasoning, and daily functioning. It is categorized under dementia, comprising up to 80 percent of all dementia cases. Although often linked with aging, Alzheimer’s is not an inevitable part of growing older and can also affect younger individuals, known as early-onset Alzheimer’s.
The disease is attributed to the development of plaques or tangles in the brain, which result in the deterioration and death of nerve cells. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, plaques are formed when protein fragments called beta-amyloid accumulate and obstruct communication between synapses, whereas tangles occur when a protein named tau forms twisted fibers.
Researchers have conducted a study examining the accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s and identified a surprisingly straightforward practice that might decelerate cognitive decline. The study, which appears in the Nature Medicine journal, involved researchers from Mass General Brigham analyzing data from 296 participants aged 50 to 90 from the Harvard Aging Brain Study.
The participants, all initially cognitively healthy, used pedometers to track their steps and underwent annual cognitive evaluations for up to 14 years, with an average duration of 9.3 years. During these evaluations, PET scans were used to monitor amyloid-beta and tau protein accumulation in the brain.
The study revealed that individuals who walked more demonstrated slower cognitive decline and reduced formation of brain deposits. Participants who walked between 3,000 and 5,000 steps daily experienced a delay of about three years in cognitive decline, while those who walked between 5,000 and 7,500 steps daily saw a delay of approximately seven years. Conversely, those with lower activity levels exhibited a faster accumulation of tau proteins and a more rapid decline in cognition and daily functioning.
Dr. Reisa Sperling, a neurologist at Mass General Brigham and co-principal investigator of the Harvard Aging Brain Study, stated: “These findings show us that it’s possible to build cognitive resilience and resistance to tau pathology in the setting of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.”
Researchers aim to further explore which types and intensities of exercise are most effective in slowing cognitive decline and plaque accumulation. Dr. Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, a cognitive neurologist at Mass General Brigham, expressed: “We want to empower people to protect their brain and cognitive health by keeping physically active. Every step counts – and even small increases in daily activities can build over time to create sustained changes in habit and health.”