HIIT workouts boost brain health for years, even in old age, scientists discover

By Study Finds

Exercising is not just good for the body, it benefits the brain as well. However, it’s harder to see when that boost wears off on your mind than it is to see your leg muscles losing their definition. Now, researchers from the University of Queensland have uncovered how long high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises can increase brain function — and the results are astounding.

Their study in the journal Aging and Disease reveals a simple yet powerful way to boost brain function in older adults, and the effects can last for years.

Picture this: You’re in your 60s, 70s, or even 80s, and you’re told that a few months of exercise could sharpen your mind for the next five years. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, according to this new research, it’s not just possible – it’s proven.

Let’s break it down. Study authors gathered a group of healthy volunteers between the ages of 65 and 85 and put them through a six-month exercise program. This wasn’t just any workout routine, however, they were testing different intensities to see what worked best.

“Six months of high-intensity interval training is enough to flick the switch,” study co-author and Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett, from the Queensland Brain Institute, says in a media release.

So, what does he mean by “flicking the switch”? It turns out that HIIT exercise can actually activate stem cells in our brains and increase the production of neurons in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. This area is crucial for learning and memory, so giving it a boost can have a big impact on our overall cognitive abilities.

Now, you might be wondering what exactly “high-intensity interval training” means. In this study, it involved four cycles of running on a treadmill at near-maximum exertion. It’s like sprinting for short bursts, then taking a breather and repeating. HIIT exercise pushes your body to its limits but only for short periods, making it more manageable than you might think.

The really exciting part? Even five years after the exercise program ended, the participants who did the high-intensity workouts still showed improved cognition. That’s right — just six months of exercise led to brain benefits that lasted for years, even if the participants didn’t keep up with the intense workouts.

“On high-resolution MRI scans of that group, we saw structural and connectivity changes in the hippocampus, the area responsible for learning and memory,” Dr. Blackmore explains.

In simpler terms, HIIT exercises actually changed the physical structure of their brains, creating new connections that helped improve their thinking and memory skills.

Why is this so important? Well, as we age, our risk of developing dementia increases. In fact, nearly seven million Americans are affected by dementia, with that number likely to skyrocket over the never three decades. That’s a scary statistic, but this research offers hope.

“If we can change the trajectory of aging and keep people cognitively healthier for longer with a simple intervention like exercise, we can potentially save our community from the enormous personal, economic and social costs associated with dementia,” Prof. Bartlett points out.

The study also looked at blood biomarkers — specific molecules in the blood that can indicate what’s happening in the body. They found that certain biomarkers changed in correlation with improvements in cognition. This is exciting because it could lead to new ways of predicting how effective exercise is for each individual. Imagine being able to take a simple blood test to see if your workouts are giving your brain the boost it needs!

Of course, this study raises new questions for researchers to explore. Dr. Blackmore and his team are now looking into genetic factors that might influence how a person responds to exercise. They’re also investigating how this research could inform exercise guidelines for older people and potentially be incorporated into aged care facilities.

So, what’s the takeaway for all of us? While more research is needed, this study suggests that it’s never too late to start exercising for brain health. Even if you’re well into your golden years, a few months of HIIT workouts could set you up for better cognitive function for years to come.

Methodology

The study focused on healthy elderly individuals 65 to 85 years-old who were free of cognitive impairments at the outset. Participants were divided into three exercise groups — low, medium, and high intensity — with each group undergoing a six-month regimen of supervised sessions. The study was meticulously structured, ensuring participants adhered to their designated exercise intensity, with ongoing assessments via cognitive tests and physical biomarkers.

The core of the study’s methodology involved rigorous cognitive testing, primarily focusing on hippocampal-dependent tasks, alongside advanced imaging techniques to observe changes within the brain’s structure. Blood samples were collected to correlate biochemical markers with cognitive outcomes, and multimodal 7 Tesla MRI scans provided a detailed view of the brain’s response to different exercise intensities.

Key Results

Only the group engaged in HIIT showed significant improvements in hippocampal function, a benefit that persisted for at least five years post-training. This enhancement was linked to both physical changes within the brain, including maintained hippocampal volume, and improved functional connectivity between critical neural networks.

In contrast, participants in the low and medium-intensity groups did not experience these substantial cognitive benefits, though they maintained baseline cognitive performance, suggesting that any form of exercise has potential protective effects.

Study Limitations

The study was not without its limitations. The specific focus on older adults who were initially free of cognitive impairments leaves unanswered questions about the effects of such exercise regimes on individuals with existing cognitive decline or younger populations. Furthermore, while the study robustly demonstrated the benefits of HIIT, the mechanisms underlying these improvements—such as changes in blood biomarkers like BDNF and cortisol—require further exploration to fully understand how exercise influences brain health.

Discussion & Takeaways

The implications of these findings are profound. For one, they offer a promising intervention that could be implemented relatively quickly and at a low cost to help aging individuals maintain cognitive health. Additionally, this study underscores the necessity of tailored exercise prescriptions to maximize cognitive benefits, suggesting that one-size-fits-all approaches to physical activity in the elderly may be less effective.

As we continue to face an aging global population, the potential for targeted exercise programs to significantly enhance quality of life and reduce the burden of age-related cognitive diseases cannot be overstated. This study not only highlights the critical link between physical vigor and mental acuity but also opens the door to further research that could refine our approaches to health maintenance in later life.

Source: Study Finds

StudyFinds sets out to find new research that speaks to mass audiences — without all the scientific jargon. The stories we publish are digestible, summarized versions of research that are intended to inform the reader as well as stir civil, educated debate. StudyFinds Staff articles are AI assisted, but always thoroughly reviewed and edited by a Study Finds staff member. Read our AI Policy for more information.

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