WASHINGTON, July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Positive results of three new randomized controlled trials of aerobic exercise in Alzheimer's disease, vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were reported today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® 2015 (AAIC® 2015) in Washington, D.C. They provide hope there may soon be a tool that people with dementia can use to prolong their independence and improve their quality of life.

There is a convincing body of evidence that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of cognitive decline, and possibly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. In healthy older people, studies suggest physical exercise can improve cognition. However, until now, whether physical exercise could improve symptoms in people with Alzheimer's, or beneficially impact the physical changes in the brain caused by the disease, was unknown.

"Based on the results we heard reported today at AAIC 2015, exercise or regular physical activity might play a role in both protecting your brain from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and also living better with the disease if you have it," said Maria Carrillo, PhD, Alzheimer's Association Chief Science Officer.
"These findings also highlight the potential value of non-drug therapies for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and remind us that research ought to adamantly pursue combination and multi-modal approaches to Alzheimer's therapy and prevention," Carrillo said.

The evidence presented today at AAIC 2015 supports the guidance from the Alzheimer's Association that highlights regular physical activity as one of several proactive steps people can take to reduce their risk of cognitive decline. There is a growing body of evidence that certain lifestyle choices, such as staying mentally active, eating a heart-healthy diet and staying socially engaged, can slow cognitive decline as people age. The Alzheimer's Association now offers 10 Ways to Love Your Brain – recommendations on how to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

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At AAIC 2015, Steen Hasselbalch, MD, and colleagues from the Danish Dementia Research Centre (DDRC), Copenhagen, Denmark reported results from the Danish ADEX Study, the first large, controlled trial of moderate to high intensity exercise in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's in Denmark.

In the ADEX study, 200 people with Alzheimer's age 50-90 (average age 70.9 years) were randomly assigned to either a supervised aerobic exercise program (60-minute exercise sessions three times a week for 16 weeks supervised by experienced physiotherapists) or a control group (standard care, no extra exercise). In the exercise group, after 4 weeks of adaptation exercise, participants performed aerobic exercise at a target intensity of 70-80% of maximum heart rate for the remaining 12 weeks.

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