Sport & Dementia

Can sport help prevent Dementia?

Being physically active benefits not just our physical but also our mental health, with some research even suggesting that playing sport can help to prevent the onset of dementia. Regular exercise strengthens, muscles, can increase or prevent decrease in bone density while the benefits of cardio vascular exercise are great for for improving circulation and keeping your heart healthy.

Research has also shown that the thought processes involved during sport activity, when to pass, where or when, help stimulate the processes the brain employs for problem solving and quick -thinking solutions - something we generally use less and less as we get older.

Irisin

One of the most promising recent discoveries is a hormone called irisin. The body releases irisin during exercise. Initially, believed to be just part of our metabolism process. Scientists discovered that irisin also promotes hippocampus growth, a part of the brain critical for memory. They also noticed that people with Alzheimer's had lower levels of irisin in their hippocampus. Therefore, it would seem that increasing your irisin levels by exercising more could help to prevent dementia.