Scientists talked about the limits of cardio training in protecting against Alzheimer's disease

Scientists from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center have concluded that improving cardiovascular health does not guarantee protection against Alzheimer's disease. This is evidenced by the results of a clinical trial published on March 23 in the journal JAMA Neurology.

According to the study, physical activity and intensive reduction of cardiovascular risks do improve the body's condition, but they do not lead to a noticeable improvement in cognitive functions in elderly people with an increased risk of dementia.

The study involved 480 people aged 60 to 85 years with hypertension, a family history of dementia and subjective complaints of memory impairment. For two years, the researchers evaluated the effects of physical activity, drug therapy, and their combinations on cognitive performance.

According to Jeffrey Keller, the head of the work, despite the positive effect on the cardiovascular system, there were no cognitive improvements. According to him, the researchers "improved the body, but not the brain," which indicates the limitations of this approach.

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The participants were divided into four groups: with physical activity, with drug therapy, with a combined approach, and a control group. Physical activity was about 160 minutes per week, and medication included intensive therapy, including losartan and amlodipine.

Despite the improvement in health indicators, including a decrease in blood pressure by an average of 13 points and a decrease in the level of "bad" cholesterol, there were no differences in cognitive tests between the groups. The difference in the results turned out to be statistically insignificant.

The authors emphasize that physical activity and control of cardiovascular factors remain important for overall health. However, a more comprehensive approach is probably needed to prevent dementia, taking into account several risk factors at once.

On March 4, Medical Xpress reported on the environmental impact on heart health. According to the study, the effects of environmental pollution, noise, and climate stress accumulate over time and affect the cardiovascular system. According to the authors, the factors act through common biological mechanisms, including inflammation and oxidative stress.

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