Walking Linked to Cognitive Health in Women

Age-related cognitive decline is, to a certain extent, unavoidable.  Nevertheless, the rate of cognitive decline varies greatly between individuals.  This variance may include environmental and genetic determinants.

Vascular disease is a risk factor for accelerated brain aging,  Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.  Vascular disease is therefore an appropriate target to explore strategies for secondary prevention--preventing (or reducing) risk of cognitive decline in those with a risk factor for this decline.

French scientist Marie-Noel Vercambre, along with colleagues from Harvard University have recently examined the role of exercise and cognitive decline in women with vascular disease.  Women participating in this study were 40 or older with evidence of vascular disease, or risk for vascular disease, by meeting one of the following criteria:

1. History of stroke, transient cerebral ischemia attack, heart attack, angina, angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft OR peripheral artery surgery
2. Three or more risk factors for vascular disease (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity and family history of early heart disease)

The women in the study were followed prospectively with monitoring of cognitive function.  Cognitive function testing included tests of memory, mental status and category fluency were completed at baseline and during followup period over an average of about 5 years.

The primary outcome measure in this study was rate of cognitive decline.  Subjects were grouped into those with the lowest and highest levels of physical activities including walking and then examined for correlation with physical activity levels.

The women at the end of the study were in their early 70s.  Women with high levels of walking (approximately) 30 minutes of brisk walking daily) had significantly lower rates cognitive decline.  Women with daily walking habits performed at a cognitive level equivalent to non-walkers who were five to seven years younger.

This study looked for correlation and was not designed to prove walking is the cause of reduced rate of cognitive decline.  Nevertheless, this research promotes further clinical trial research of aerobic exercise in women with vascular disease.  It will be important to include cognitive health as an important outcome measure in this type of research.

Photo of Juno Beach sunrise with filter from the author's collection.  Original unfiltered photo can be found here.

Vercambre, M., Grodstein, F., Manson, J., Stampfer, M., & Kang, J. (2011). Physical Activity and Cognition in Women With Vascular Conditions Archives of Internal Medicine, 171 (14), 1244-1250 DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.282