Regular exercise - particularly before the age of 50 - could help protect against dementia by preserving crucial areas of the brain, according to new research.
A study has found that people who exercised monthly in their earlier years maintained better brain volume and cognitive function, even when showing early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
The findings from researchers at UCL's Dementia Research Centre suggested that leading an active life leads to changes in the brain that could help ward off cognitive decline.
The benefits were particularly noticeable in the brain's hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory functions.
'People who are physically active, they're less likely to have dementia'
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The research analysed data from 468 participants - all aged 70 - born in the same week in March 1946 across England, Scotland and Wales.
Dr Sarah-Naomi James stated: "When we're thinking about brain changes, one of the biggest predictors of how big your brain volume is is age. So the fact that we've got exactly the same people born in the same week takes that into account."
Researchers tracked participants' physical activities, including walking, swimming, cricket, rugby and football over three decades.
Brain scans at age 70 revealed that those who exercised once or more monthly before age 50 showed less shrinkage in the hippocampus.
"It's a really important part of the brain, and we're showing that it's actually larger," explained Dr James.
"We call it preservation of this area of the brain that is usually starting to decline and that is responsible for the early signs of dementia."
The benefits of pre-50 activity could be linked to exercise intensity and types of activities people did in their 30s and 40s, though Dr James noted more research is needed to confirm this.
The study found that regular exercise throughout life was linked to "better cognitive function" at age 70, even in those showing early markers of Alzheimer's disease, with the benefits even more pronounced in women.
Dr James stated: "Why is exercise good for us? It makes intuitive sense, but we still actually don’t know lots about it. We call it the mechanisms, the pathways - what is it about being physically active that is good for our brain?
"For instance, we look at something like dementia and we say, 'There's a pattern that we can see replicated lots of times, people who are physically active, they're less likely to have dementia'.
"But what we’re showing is that even before they have dementia, they are able to tolerate and keep their cognitive function, regardless of if they start to have the early signs in the brain.
"It might be to do this preservation of the specific area of the brain. And then also you’re able to tolerate the pathology for longer.
"So it means that perhaps we’re not changing the disease itself, but we’re changing perhaps when you might start to develop symptoms."
Dr James emphasised that it's "never too late or too early" to start being physically active, emphasising that being active is "really good for your brain".
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"But actually, even if you are later in life, and even starting to have disease symptoms, it could still be beneficial."
She advocated for policies that ensure "the importance of access to physical activity throughout the life."
Head of policy and public affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, David Thomas, stated: "Dementia is not just an inevitable part of ageing, and finding ways to prevent people from ever developing it is a vital part of our mission for a cure.
"While there is no sure-fire way to prevent dementia, there are some things within our control that can reduce our risk, including keeping active and looking after our heart health, challenging our brains and keeping connected to the people around us.
"The evidence shows that it's never too early or late to start making positive changes."
