Seniors’ Fitness Linked to Better Brain Function

Improving fitness can boost the thinking ability of aging adults, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.

People 58 to 78 who began a fitness program, even brisk walking, saw improvements in their brain function, according to a study in this week’s online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Study participants gradually increased their exercise over three months to a 45-minute walk three times a week. Their brain activity was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and they had 11% improvement on tests that evaluated their decision-making.