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Doctors have long advised patients to do physical activity to help keep their brains healthy. New research suggests that even a simple exercise program might help older people with light memory problems.

Researchers found around 300 inactive older adults with memory changes called mild cognitive impairment(MCI) (轻度认知障碍). Half of the older adults did aerobic (有氧) exercises, and the rest did light exercise that raised their heart rates a little.

“After a year, testing of cognitive skills showed neither group had worsened.” said lead researcher Laura Baker of Wake Forest School of Medicine in the state of North Carolina. “Brain examinations did not show the shrinkage (收缩) that often goes with worsening memory problems.”

By comparison, similar MCI patients in another long-term study of brain health—but without exercise—experienced cognitive reduction over a year.

The results suggest “this is doable for everybody—not just seniors healthy enough to work up a hard sweat,” said Baker at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. “Exercise needs to be part of the prevention strategies for at-risk seniors.”

The new study is especially interesting because the COVID-19 pandemic (疫情) began halfway through the study. That meant the study members became separated from others. Less social contact has long been known to increase people’s risk of memory problems. “For me, to show that we have a positive message even during a pandemic means that it could be a believable finding in the situation of other challenging life events,” Baker said.