New Delhi: A recent study has found that increased sedentary behavior—spending extended periods sitting or lying down—is associated with cognitive decline and brain shrinkage, particularly in areas of the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The research, conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the University of Pittsburgh, sheds light on the impact of lifestyle habits on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, the study underscores the importance of minimizing sedentary time to reduce the likelihood of cognitive impairments. Marissa Gogniat, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, emphasized that simply exercising daily is not enough to mitigate Alzheimer’s risk. "Minimizing the time spent sitting, even if you do exercise daily, reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease," she explained.
The study involved 404 adults aged 50 and older, who wore activity-tracking devices for one week to measure their sedentary behavior. Researchers then compared the amount of time participants spent sitting with their cognitive performance and brain scans over a seven-year follow-up period. The results revealed that participants who were more sedentary showed greater signs of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative changes, regardless of how much exercise they did.
Moreover, the study found that the link between sedentary time and Alzheimer’s was even stronger among individuals carrying the APOE-e4 allele, a genetic risk factor for the disease. This suggests that those at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer's may benefit even more from reducing the amount of time spent sitting.
Angela Jefferson, professor of neurology at VUMC, stressed the significance of the findings, particularly for aging adults at an elevated genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease. "This research highlights the importance of reducing sitting time, particularly among aging adults at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease," said Jefferson. "It is critical to our brain health to take breaks from sitting throughout the day and move around to increase our active time."
The study’s findings suggest that simply reducing sitting time could be an effective strategy for preventing neurodegeneration and delaying cognitive decline, offering new insights into potential interventions for Alzheimer's prevention.
As the global population ages, understanding the relationship between sedentary behavior and cognitive health becomes increasingly important, providing actionable steps to help protect brain function in later years.
