Being Lazy Shrinks Your Brain.
Less active individuals appear to have smaller brains later in life. This study included 1,583 participants who took a treadmill test to rate their fitness at around age 40 and again at around age 60. After the second treadmill test, they also underwent an MRI. The results revealed those who were less physically fit during both tests had lower brain volume than those who maintained high physical fitness levels during the course of the study. Researcher Dr. Nicole Spartano writes, “From other studies, we know that exercise training programs that improve fitness may increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain and improve neuroplasticity over the short term. Over the course of a lifetime, these mechanisms may have an impact on brain aging and prevent cognitive decline in older age.”
Neurology, February 2016