Researchers: Jose A Santiago, Judith A Potashkin
Neurodegenerative diseases have reached alarming numbers in the past decade. Unfortunately, clinical trials testing potential therapeutics have proven futile. In the absence of disease-modifying therapies, physical activity has emerged as the single most accessible lifestyle modification with the potential to fight off cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. In this review, we discuss findings from epidemiological, clinical, and molecular studies investigating the potential of lifestyle modifications in promoting brain health. We propose an evidence-based multidomain approach that includes physical activity, diet, cognitive training, and sleep hygiene to treat and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
References
- Hippocampal gene expression patterns linked to late-life physical activity oppose age and AD-related transcriptional decline.
- Effects of Aerobic Exercise Training on Systemic Biomarkers and Cognition in Late Middle-Aged Adults at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Feasibility and acceptability of a multi-domain intervention to increase Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity in older UK adults at risk of dementia: protocol for the MedEx-UK randomised controlled trial.
- The Effects of Physical Running on Dendritic Spines and Amyloid-beta Pathology in 3xTg-AD Male Mice.
Topic: Sleep and aging