Researchers have found that older people who spent time walking or jogging perform better in memory tests. The study, published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, consisted of two groups, one of 29 young adults aged from 18 to 31 and a second group aged between 55-82.
Members of the older group who exercised more performed better in memory tests than those who did less exercise, but no correlation existed for the younger group.
“The relationship appears to be strongest for face-name relational memory and visual episodic memory, likely attributable to the fact that these tasks make strong demands on the hippocampus,” the author wrote.
“The results suggest that physical activity relates to cognition in older, but not younger adults.”
Originally published by Cosmos as Exercise linked to a better memory
Bill Condie
Bill Condie is a science journalist based in Adelaide, Australia.
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