Brief, Intense Exercise Improves Memory In Older – Especially Memory Impaired – Adults

A U.S. study of older adults with and without memory problems found that brief but intense exercise improves memory, especially in those with memory deficits. The participants – aged 50 to 85 – were shown pleasant images of nature and animals, then exercised on stationary bikes for seven minutes at 70 percent of capacity. An hour later they were given a surprise recall test on the viewed images. According to the researchers, the exercise significantly improved memory in both healthy and cognitively impaired people, compared to those who did not exercise. “A short instance of moderately intense exercise particularly improved memory in individuals with memory deficits," researchers said.