Effects of aerobic physical exercise on cognition

Resumo

The increasing prevalence of cognitive impairment in older adults is a major concern nowadays. Interventions able to change the natural history of the most common cause of cognitive impairment in older adults, Alzheimer's disease (AD), are needed. Physical inactivity is considered one of the most important modifiable risk factors for AD. Objective: To review recent evidence on the role of physical exercise (PE) in the older adults cognition. Method:The authors reviewed recent papers about PE and cognition in older adults. Conclusion: Current data indicate that PE is a promising intervention to decrease the risk of cognitive impairment in cognitively normal older subjects and in those with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Controversy still remains about the effect of PE in demented patients,
but more recent data is pointing towards a positive effect.