High-intensity interval training in older adults may improve brain function: study

New Delhi: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises such as cycling, push-ups, burpees, squats and lunges can not only slow cognitive decline in older adults but also boost brain function that can last for years, a study found Wednesday. The study from the University of Queensland in Australia found that six months of high-intensity interval training could boost key brain functions such as hippocampus-based learning and memory in older adults for up to five years.

In the study, 151 participants aged 65 to 85 years without cognitive deficits were randomly assigned to one of three exercise interventions (low (LIT) – primarily motor function, balance, and stretching; medium (MIT) – brisk walking on a treadmill; and HIIT – four cycles of running on a treadmill at near-maximal effort.

Each participant participated in 72 supervised practice sessions over a six-month period.

The results, published in Aging and Disease, showed that only the HIIT exercise led to cognitive improvements that were maintained for up to 5 years.

High-resolution MRI scans revealed that only the HIIT exercise group had structural and connectivity changes in the hippocampus, the area responsible for learning and memory.

Researcher Dr Daniel Blackmore, from the university’s Queensland Brain Institute, said they also showed “blood biomarkers that changed in correlation with improvements in cognition.”

He noted that 1 in 3 people aged 85 are likely to develop dementia. The impact of the study was far-reaching.

While ageing is one of the biggest risks for dementia, “by keeping people cognitively healthy for longer with a simple intervention like exercise, we could potentially save our communities from the huge personal, economic and social costs associated with dementia,” said the university’s Professor Perry Bartlett. (IANS)

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