Exercise may help prevent dementia in women — while men need more brain training —

Exercise may help prevent dementia, but if it’s only for women, a new study finds.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) found that data showing that walking, cycling and even playing golf can help prevent mental decline in old age applies only to women.

They think this is due to the “type” of exercise people do, with older women participating in group exercises more often than their male counterparts.

The researchers found that cognitive exercise is valuable for everyone, as both sexes can delay aging by up to 13 years by engaging in mental activities such as reading, bingo playing, and taking classes.

“We found that increased physical activity was associated with a higher rate of thought reserve in women, but not in men,” he said. Judy Pa, a UCSD neuroscientist who led the study.

“Since we have little or no demonstrably effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, prevention is key. An ounce is worth a pound of cure.

“It’s exciting to know that people can improve their cognitive reserve potential by taking simple steps like going to class at the community center, playing bingo with friends, or doing more walking or gardening.”

In the study, published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, scientists evaluated the mental capacity of 758 people aged 76.

Some did not have thinking or memory problems, some had mild cognitive impairment, and some had dementia.

To measure mental activity, participants were given a score for reading magazines, books, or newspapers; went to class; and card games played in the last 13 months.

In order to measure physical activity, interviews were conducted about which exercise they did each week.

On average, they scored about 1.4 and engaged in activities that increased their heart rate for about 15 minutes per week.

Participants were then given brain scans and a thought and memory speed test to assess their cognitive reserves, the buffer the brain had created to shut down the decline.

The results showed that women who moved more saw a protective effect on the brain that was not seen in men who moved more.

Announcing the findings, the scientists wrote in the paper: “The gender-specific findings … may be related to the types of activities women do towards men.”

“Although no gender differences were observed in card game and reading behavior, women reported higher levels of group instruction than men.

“Unlike card games and reading activities, group lessons inherently include a social component, which can involve cognitive skills in a variety of ways.”

Limitations of the study were that it focused on northern Manhattan, New York, meaning it excluded people in rural areas.

About two-thirds of the participants were female, and the rest were male.

Nor does it measure the social and structural factors that scientists believe are the “main determinants” of mental capacity.

They said more studies are needed to determine whether exercise alone has a more preventative effect against dementia in women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says regular exercise can reduce a person’s risk of developing dementia.

Advise all adults to get about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, such as cycling or brisk walking, to improve brain health.

A paper published last December by researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia found that exercise could be a “sweet spot” for slowing cognitive decline.

A second from University of California researchers suggested that walking or biking every day could reduce a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.