Even small amounts of walking could slow down the brain changes that lead to Alzheimer’s, a new study shows. In fact, results point to a very specific window where benefits peak.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham followed nearly 300 older adults between the ages of 50 and 90 who showed no signs of dementia when the study began.
Over more than nine years, the team tracked the participants' daily steps and used brain scans to measure amyloid-beta and tau, two key proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease. High levels of these proteins can signal the earliest stages of the disease, long before memory problems appear.
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Participants also completed yearly cognitive tests to monitor any changes in thinking or memory.
The scientists focused primarily on those who already had elevated amyloid levels, as that group faces a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
People at higher risk who walked only 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day, or roughly one and a half to two miles, experienced a delay in cognitive decline of about three years compared to less active participants, a press release stated.
Those who averaged between 5,000 and 7,500 steps daily saw an even greater benefit, with cognitive decline delayed by about seven years.
The study, which was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, was published in the journal Nature Medicine.
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The researchers also found that more steps were linked to slower buildup of tau protein in the brain, suggesting that physical activity may directly influence one of the disease’s most damaging processes.
People who had low amyloid levels to begin with didn’t show much difference in cognitive outcomes based on how much they walked — the most dramatic effects were seen in those who were already experiencing early Alzheimer’s-related changes.
In contrast to the oft-cited 10,000-steps-a-day goal, the benefits in this study seemed to plateau at around 7,500 steps.
For older adults, simply going from very low activity to a few thousand steps daily appears to make a significant difference over time.
"This sheds light on why some people who appear to be on an Alzheimer’s disease trajectory don't decline as quickly as others," said senior author Jasmeer Chhatwal, M.D., Ph.D., of the Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology, in the release.
"Lifestyle factors appear to impact the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that lifestyle changes may slow the emergence of cognitive symptoms if we act early."
Because this study is observational, it only found strong associations but can’t prove that walking directly caused the slower decline, according to the researchers.
People who walk more might also have other healthy habits, such as a better diet or social engagement, that contribute to the outcome.
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The participants were also made up of mostly healthy, educated volunteers willing to undergo brain scans, so the results might not apply to everyone.
Courtney Kloske, Ph.D., director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, told Fox News Digital that this was a "very well-conducted study with intriguing results."
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Kloske, who was not involved in the study, noted that in her recent research, modest amounts of exercise were just one component of a larger array of lifestyle factors that appeared to result in significant cognitive benefits.
"We don’t yet know how much each of the individual components [such as healthy nutrition, physical exercise, cognitive and social engagement] may have specifically contributed," she added.
For older adults, the National Institute on Aging recommends a few tips for safely implementing a walking regimen.
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"We want to empower people to protect their brain and cognitive health by keeping physically active," said first-author Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, M.D., a cognitive neurologist in the Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology, in the release.
"Every step counts — and even small increases in daily activities can build over time to create sustained changes in habit and health."
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