Super Movers May Be Outracing Cognitive Decline

Older people who are brisk walkers seem to be healthier than their slower-moving peers in many ways. Presumably a range of chronic conditions can result in slow walkers. But how does that relate to brain health?

Super Movers Experience Less Cognitive Decline

A study of almost 4,000 octogenarians found that those who cover the most ground during a timed walking test are also about 50% less likely to experience cognitive decline (Neurology, June 16, 2026) These supermovers seem to be keeping their brains healthy along with their muscles. Presumably this is due in part to the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, that moving muscles release.

The data for this analysis came from the Health and Retirement Study International Network of Studies, the LonGenity Study and the RUSH Memory Aging Project. The researchers hope that further studies on these super movers will reveal habits and biological traits that can be applied to help prevent cognitive decline in other people as well.

Slow Walkers Had Dementia Gaining on Them

A link between physical activity and brain function is not really new. A dozen years ago, we wrote about research showing that slow walkers were more prone to cognitive dysfunction (Neurology, Aug. 19, 2014). The study, conducted on five continents, found that walking speed could help predict the development of dementia.

Scientists evaluated almost 27,000 people over 60 years old without dementia. Those with minor memory complaints and slow walking speed (less than 2 miles an hour) were twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia within twelve years. The authors suggest that if people corrected underlying health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, at-risk individuals might be able to dodge or delay dementia as well.

The People’s Pharmacy recognizes that people can’t help how fast they walk. Nonetheless, this is another bit of the puzzle tying consistent exercise habits to relative protection (not perfect!) from cognitive decline.

Learn More

Obesity and diabetes are certainly hard to reverse, but given this connection, the effort may be very worthwhile. To learn more about how to do that, you might want to listen to our interview with Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution. Another potentially helpful podcast is Show 1332: The Metabolical Results of the American Diet, with Dr. Robert Lustig. We also interviewed Dr. Lustig about GLP-1 weight-loss medications in Show 1362: The Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity–Part 2. This was an expansion of the perspective presented in Show 1361: The Lowdown on New Medicines for Treating Obesity.