Archive · 29 Nov 2025
Exercise in Midlife May Reduce Dementia Risk
A new study found that being active in midlife or later can help lower the risk of getting dementia, like Alzheimer's.
Researchers looked at over 4,300 people and found that those who were more active in midlife had a 40% lower risk of dementia.
Even starting to exercise later in life can reduce the risk by 36% to 45%.
The study suggests that exercise might help the brain in different ways, like reducing inflammation and improving brain function.
However, the benefits in midlife were only seen in people without a certain gene called APOE4, which is linked to higher Alzheimer's risk.
More research is needed to understand exactly how and when these benefits happen.
Increasing physical activity in midlife or later life can significantly reduce the risk of dementia.
The study found a 40% lower dementia risk for those with higher physical activity in midlife.
High physical activity in later life was linked to a 36% to 45% reduced dementia risk.
The benefits of midlife activity were only seen in people without the APOE4 genetic variant.
Physical activity may improve brain structure, reduce inflammation, and impact Alzheimer's disease pathology.
- Who
- Researchers from Boston University School of Public Health and participants of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort
- What
- A study on the impact of physical activity on dementia risk
- When
- Data collected over 37 years in early adulthood, 26 years in midlife, and 15 years in later life
- Where
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Why
- To understand the relationship between physical activity and dementia risk
- Study Source
- JAMA Network Open
- Participants
- 4,300
- Risk Reduction (Midlife)
- 40%
- Risk Reduction (Later Life)
- 36% to 45%
- Study Duration (Early Adulthood)
- 37 years
- Study Duration (Midlife)
- 26 years
- Study Duration (Later Life)
- 15 years
- Key Genetic Factor
- APOE4