We spend a significant portion of our day sitting, whether we’re working or relaxing. A recent study involving older adults has revealed that prolonged sitting can lead to a reduction in brain volume and cognitive issues. Surprisingly, these effects are not influenced by how much exercise we get.
As a result, a team of neurologists from Vanderbilt University, the University of Pittsburgh (USA), and Seoul National University (South Korea) has challenged the widely held belief that periods of sitting can be offset by periods of activity—at least when it comes to brain health in individuals aged 50 and older.
What Did the Researchers Find?
The team asserts that excessive sitting or lying down (in other words, a sedentary lifestyle) can increase the risk of developing various types of dementia in later life, including Alzheimer’s disease.
More than 400 volunteers participated in the study. Over the course of a week, researchers tracked their activity levels using fitness trackers. For the following seven years, they assessed the participants’ cognitive abilities through tests and brain scans, as reported by Science Alert.
Despite 87 percent of the volunteers meeting the recommended weekly exercise guidelines (at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity), those who spent more time sitting showed a decline in cognitive functions.
They also exhibited more signs of neurodegeneration, including accelerated thinning of the hippocampus—a brain region crucial for memory function and one of the first areas to suffer damage in Alzheimer’s disease.
The team believes that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to faster brain aging. They suggest that the best “antidote” in this case is to reduce sitting time rather than simply increasing exercise duration.
The analysis indicated a stronger link between prolonged sitting and reduced brain volume in individuals with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
“This study highlights the importance of reducing sitting time, especially among older adults with an increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s,” concluded co-author Angela Jefferson. “Overall, studying lifestyle and its impact on brain health as we age is incredibly important,” she added.
Of course, these findings should not discourage anyone from engaging in vigorous physical activity. As we know, exercise works wonders for our physical and mental health.
The results of the study were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.