Here is yet another reason for gymnasium bunny rabbit to feel smug : exercise may be the well way to stave off dementia .

Research publish in the journalNeurologyfound that middle - elderly women with high forcible fitness were88 percentless likely than those with moderate physical fitness to develop the neurodegenerative disease . Meanwhile , those that did developed it much subsequently than their less active peers .

“ These finding are exciting because it ’s possible that meliorate people ’s cardiovascular seaworthiness in mediate age could delay or even prevent them from develop dementedness , ” written report author Helena Hörder , from the University of Gothenburg , Sweden , said in astatement .

This is one of the longest - spanning studies of its kind , establish in 1968 when investigator measured the peak cardiovascular capacity of 191 cleaning lady with an mean age of 50 . The military volunteer were asked to exercise on a wheel machine until they were exhausted , at which point their peak level was noted .

Forty women attain 120 watts or higher , commit them in the high - level fitness bracket . A further   92 had intermediate - story physical fitness ( 81 to 120 watts ) and 59 exhibit depleted - level seaworthiness ( 80 watts or less ) . Some of those in the depressed - story physical fitness category were unable to complete the usage due to bureau hurting , eminent blood pressure , or cardiovascular issues .

The Tennessean were tested for dementedness six times over the next 44 years , within which 44 ( or 23 percentage ) croak on to develop the disease . Yet , interestingly , the betting odds of diagnosis wide-ranging wide reckon on a volunteer ’s physical fitness spirit level . While close to half ( 45 percent ) of all those who did not finish the exam originate dementedness , only 5 percent of the extremely fit women were ever diagnosed with the condition .   Thirty - two pct of those categorise as depleted fitness and 25 percent of those of medium fittingness acquire dementedness during that time .

But that ’s not all . The two highly fit women who did develop dementia did so at an average of 11 years later than those who were moderately set .

“ This designate that negative cardiovascular processes may be happening in midlife that could increase the risk of dementia much later in life , ” Hörder tot up .

However , there were limitations to the field of study , such as its small size and the fact that all volunteers were women from Sweden . As the researcher point out , the woman ’s physical fitness tier were only measured once so it does n’t affirm if they maintained or amend their fittingness floor post-1968 . Again , this could touch the results .

However , it does seem to supportolder studiesthat link physical bodily process to a importantly reduced risk of develop dementedness   – even if it is not as much as 88 percent .