Aerobic exercise can increase mental fitness

[Guest guest]

Another reason to exercise:

11 April 2008 Aerobic exercise can increase mental fitness in older

people - News from The Cochrane Library

under embargo until 15 Apr 2008 23:00 GMT

http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?

fuseaction=readrelease & releaseid=528516 & ez_search=1

Aerobic physical exercises that aim to improve cardiovascular fitness

also help boost how fast you can think, manual dexterity and how well

you can concentrate on visual and auditory tasks, concludes a

Cochrane Review.

This conclusion was drawn after Cochrane Researchers identified 11

studies that examined the effects of getting healthy people over the

age of 55 to take on additional physical exercise. In these studies,

participants showed an increase in at least one aspect of cognitive

function.

" This benefit adds to the other known benefits of aerobic exercise, "

says lead researcher Maaike Angevaren, who works in the Research

Group Lifestyle and Health at the University of Applied Sciences, in

Utrecht, Netherlands.

" Larger studies are still required to confirm whether the aerobic

training component is necessary, or whether the same can be achieved

with any type of physical exercise, " says Angevaren.

============================

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK