A new observational study suggests a simple, accessible intervention may significantly slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults: increasing the number of steps taken daily.
The 14-year research, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, focused on individuals who already showed biological signs of early Alzheimer’s disease—the presence of beta amyloid and tau proteins.
According to lead study author Dr. Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, physical activity appears to help slow the buildup of tau, the protein most closely linked to memory loss.
The study, which used objective measures like pedometers and specialized PET scans to track steps and protein deposition, found clear correlations between walking frequency and cognitive delay:
3,000 to 5,000 steps per day: Cognitive decline was delayed by an average of three years.
5,000 to 7,500 steps per day: Cognitive decline was delayed by an average of seven years.
Participants who were sedentary showed a significantly faster accumulation of tau proteins and more rapid declines in cognition.
An unusual, yet key, finding was that higher step counts did not show a relationship with a decline in beta amyloid, the protein that accumulates first.
“Instead, for a given amount of elevated amyloid burden, higher step counts were associated with slower accumulation of tau, which largely explained the relationship with slower cognitive decline,” Dr. Yau explained.
While the small, observational study of 296 people cannot prove direct cause and effect, the combination of advanced brain scans and objective step counts makes the research highly reliable, according to experts.
Neurologists caution that relying solely on a specific step count is too simplistic for preventing Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, stressed that while exercise is vital, it must be part of a comprehensive, individualized plan. “If someone has excess body fat, if someone has prediabetes, if someone has high blood pressure, just walking a certain number of steps won’t be enough,” he noted.
Experts agree that actions that benefit the heart—regular walking, stress reduction, quality sleep, and a healthy diet—are universally beneficial for the brain.
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