A large review of studies involving over 2,000 older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that mind body exercises are linked to better overall brain function. The researchers specifically looked at how these exercises affect global cognition, memory, and the speed at which the brain processes information.
The data showed that participants who engaged in these activities saw improvements in both overall cognition and processing speed. However, the evidence for improvements in memory specifically was found to be very weak. The study also found that the amount of time spent exercising each week matters. For example, a specific amount of weekly exercise was linked to better results when the program lasted at least 11 weeks.
Because this was a review of existing studies, the results are not yet ready to change standard medical care. The researchers noted that the data is limited because many of the studies looked at similar amounts of exercise. More long term studies are needed to confirm these findings before they can be used as a standard treatment for cognitive health.
