Workout for brain power
Related Articles
Monday February 08 2010
A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in British Columbia found that older women who did strength-training exercises each week had improved cognitive function a year later.
Researchers randomly assigned 155 women, aged 65 to 75 years, either to strength training with dumbbells and weight machines or to a comparison group doing balance and toning exercises.
A year later, the women who did strength training had improved their performance on tests of so-called executive function by 10.9pc to 12.6pc, while those assigned to balance and toning exercises experienced a slight deterioration -- 0.5pc.
The improvements included an enhanced ability to make decisions, resolve conflicts and focus without being distracted.
Older women are generally less likely than others to do strength training, even though it can promote bone health and counteract muscle loss, said Teresa Liu-Ambrose, a researcher at the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver General Hospital and the paper's lead author.
Irish Independent
