MCI patients can benefit from exercise

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may benefit from increasing the amount of exercise they partake in.

According to a new study, cognitive decline in older adults can be reduced through physical activity.

In particular, activities such as resistance training, aerobics and balance exercises could be beneficial.

For instance, it was found that resistance training increased the conflict resolution, attention and memory capacity among patients with MCI.

The discovery was made when researchers studied 86 women with MCI between the ages of 70 and 80 for a period of six months.

A spokesperson from the Alzheimer’s Society commented: “While weightlifting and workouts may not be everyone's cup of tea, this research shows once again how important exercise is for the brain.”

It has already been suggested that the risk of developing dementia can be reduced by up to 45 per cent through exercise.

What’s more, the frailer a patient is, the more likely they are to benefit from physical activity to improve their body strength and mental performance.

Find out about dementia care and support services at Barchester care homes.