Walking May Slash Dementia Risk, Especially If You Carry This Gene

Family walking togetherStrong cardiovascular health decades before old age has been linked with an 88% lower chance of developing dementia, and walking for as few as 3,800 steps a day can decrease risk compared to non-walkers, too.But new research suggests walking could be particularly effective for those who carry the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased likelihood of getting the condition. One of two studies to be shown at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference meeting in Toronto today looked at the effects of walking on 2,985 older adults. All were tested for their APOE status; it seemed likely that those more liable to developing dementia may see increased protection from walking than others, building on existing research suggesting that exercise may delay the onset of the condition.How can walking help those genetically predisposed to developing dementia?The researchers followed participants for 10 years.Annually, they were asked to self-report how much walking they did. They were also given cognitive tests throughout the study. No matter what people’s APOE status was, walking was linked to better cognition. But though those with the APOE4 gene saw a sharper decline in cognitive ability overall, they also got better results from walking than those without the gene. This was seen at relatively small increments, too. If a woman in the study with the APOE4 gene walked 10% more, she had an 8.5% better cognitive score over time than someone without it who also walked the same amount (she would have a 4.7% better score).And if a man with the APOE4 gene walked 10% more, his score was on average 12% better than it would be otherwise. Men without the APOE4 gene who walked 10% more only saw a 2.6% increase. This surprised the researchers, NBC News reports, because they expected the changes to be greater for women.This might happen thanks to brain-derived neurotrophic factor Speaking to CNN, Cindy Barha, assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Calgary, said that this benefit could be linked to something called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF). “BDNF is like fertiliser for your brain that is naturally produced, especially when you are being physically active, such as when you are walking,” she told the publication.“It helps brain cells survive, grow and form stronger connections; this supports memory, learning and mood, especially in the hippocampus, which is the brain’s memory centre.” The study didn’t note how long or how fast beneficiaries of the exercise walked, but some separate research suggests that brisk walking for a minimum of 30 minutes may offer the best results overall.Related...Is Walking Enough Exercise? Here's What Doctors SayI Swapped 10,000 Steps A Day For 30 Minutes Of 'Japanese Walking' – I've Never Been More ActiveWalking Fast For This Amount Of Time Each Day Could Help You Live Longer

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