Study shows that exercise may prevent brain damage caused by Alzheimer's disease

Individuals who are currently providing home care for loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer's disease may be interested in a new study that found that exercising regularly can prevent the brain damage that is linked to the neurological disorder.

The study, which was conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, found that since exercise lets the brain produce chemicals that lower the risk of inflammation, it can prevent the loss of cognitive function in the brain.

"This elegant series of experiments reveals an alternative pathway by which voluntary physical exercise may protect hippocampal neurons," said Dr. Ruth Barrientos of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado. "The study on the role of exercise as a therapeutic intervention will undoubtedly get a workout in the years to come. Perhaps the greatest challenge with this line of research will not be more discoveries of compelling evidence of the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of exercise, but instead, getting humans to exercise voluntarily and regularly."