Strong Legs Linked To Healthier Brain In Old Age

Leg strength is the marker of physical activities engaged by a person. Lifestyle changes to increase physical activity may help maintain physical and mental health.

A new research has found that strong legs can be used to measure the mental health of aging ones.

A team of researchers at the King’s College London studied more than 300 twins aged 43-73, those who have strong legs are said to fare better when it comes to brain health. Most likely, it is because fit legs could mean more physical activities which in turn good for the brain.

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‘Over the 10 year study, the researchers found that people who have more leg power had fewer brain changes.’

“Identical twins are a useful comparison, as they share many factors, such as genetics and early life, which we can’t change in adulthood”, explained lead author Dr. Claire Steves, Twin Research senior lecturer at King’s College London.

Exercise is linked with an improved rate of aging in the brain, according to a study published by the British Society of Gerontology.

“It suggests that simple lifestyle changes to boost our physical activity may help to keep us both mentally and physically healthy”, said Steves.

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The researchers measured leg power and brain function of the study participants at the start and end of study. Computerized tasks were used to test memory and mental processing skills.

“Generally, all those who have more leg power had few brain changes over the 10 year study. The strongest factor was leg strength when it comes to cognitive aging,” said Steves.

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“Leg strength is the marker for physical activities engaged by a person. By this, we can see how active an aging person is and how functional their brain will be despite aging,” she added.

Source-Medindia

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