Can daily exercise improve the health of older people and lower their risk of getting dementia?

Exercise and the Prevention of Dementia

Dementia is a term that refers to a variety of diseases that impede memory and cognition, and it is presently the seventh most common cause of death worldwide. (World Health Organization, 2025) Every year, about 10 million new cases of dementia are found around the world. (Yoon J.H. et al., 2023) A study investigating the correlation between insulin and exercise in the brain discovered that consistent physical activity may enhance brain function and reduce the likelihood of developing dementia. Researchers have found that factors such as.

• High Blood Pressure
• High blood sugar
• Age
• Increases the risk of acquiring dementia. (World Health Organization, 2025)

Workouts and range of motion are required to be performed on the muscles. In those who do not engage in physical activity, their muscles grow tight, which makes it more difficult for insulin to do its assigned function. The muscles are compressed and loosened up due to the body’s movement, which results in the body being more receptive to insulin. Discovering methods to lessen the body’s resistance to insulin could be beneficial in preventing dementia.

Exercise and A Lowered Risk

Over two weeks, researchers observed 21 senior adults with prediabetes and discovered that exercise directly enhances cognitive function by assisting the brain in regulating insulin. The participants participated in 12 moderate-to-high-intensity supervised exercise sessions. (Malin S. K. et al., 2025)

• The discovery showed a big rise in brain-derived extracellular vesicles that carried insulin-associated proteins.
• These minuscule transmitters facilitate neuronal communication and are essential for brain maintenance.
• AKT, also known as protein kinase B (PKB), is a set of three serine/threonine-specific protein kinases important for many cellular activities, such as cell proliferation, metabolism, and the cell cycle.
• The protein is suspected to be a significant factor in insulin signaling and has implications for the health and growth of neuronal cells.
• The notion that exercise can help prevent dementia by potentially enhancing insulin signaling is important because poor insulin response can result in dementia.

While further research is needed, these findings suggest that physical activity may be an accessible and low-cost strategy to promote long-term brain health. In the next part of the investigation, researchers will utilize an insulin spray and MRIs to learn more about how insulin impacts brain function. To further understand the effect of the insulin spray, they will evaluate blood circulation in the brain before and after it is administered.

Insulin and Physical Activity Are Crucial for Cognitive Health

Insulin is a hormone synthesized by the pancreas and is responsible for regulating blood sugar. Nevertheless, its significance in the preservation of mental health is equally critical. Insulin’s binding to insulin receptors in the brain facilitates neuronal communication and fortifies synaptic connections, which are essential for memory and learning. (Gray, S. M., Meijer, R. I., & Barrett, E. J. 2014)

The brain is more likely to lose its abilities if it doesn’t get enough insulin signals, which can happen in situations like type 2 diabetes. (Yoon J.H. et al., 2023) Researchers observed that insulin resistance helped amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles build up, which are two of the main signs of Alzheimer’s disease. (Hong, S., Han, K., & Park, C. Y. 2021) These cognitive changes may be slowed or even prevented by enhancing insulin sensitivity. Aerobic exercise, in particular, has an advantageous impact on the brain’s overall health. Previous research has demonstrated that adults can improve or preserve their cognitive and memory abilities through physical activity. (Rosenberg A. et al., 2020) Other things you may do to make your brain healthier are

• Being socially active
• Challenging the mind
• Getting a good night’s sleep
• Dealing with stress
• Eating well
• Being active
• Taking care of diabetes
• Controlling blood pressure

The future of dementia prevention will likely involve a combination of lifestyle interventions, including exercise and medications, to achieve the most significant impact. Regular exercise has the potential to substantially reduce the risk of dementia in individuals with diabetes or prediabetes and to support the maintenance of optimal brain health.

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Is Moving Important for Healing?

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References

World Health Organization. (2025). “Dementia.” World Health Organization. from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact sheets/detail/dementia#:~:text=Alzheimer%20disease%20is%20the%20most,60%E2%80%9370%25%20of%20cases.

Yoon, J. H., Hwang, J., Son, S. U., Choi, J., You, S. W., Park, H., Cha, S. Y., & Maeng, S. (2023). How Can Insulin Resistance Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(4), 3506. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043506

Malin, S. K., Battillo, D. J., Beeri, M. S., Mustapic, M., Delgado-Peraza, F., & Kapogiannis, D. (2025). Two weeks of exercise alters neuronal extracellular vesicle insulin signaling proteins and pro-BDNF in older adults with prediabetes. Aging cell, 24(1), e14369. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.14369

Gray, S. M., Meijer, R. I., & Barrett, E. J. (2014). Insulin regulates brain function, but how does it get there?. Diabetes, 63(12), 3992–3997. https://doi.org/10.2337/db14-0340

Hong, S., Han, K., & Park, C. Y. (2021). The insulin resistance by triglyceride glucose index and risk for dementia: population-based study. Alzheimer’s research & therapy, 13(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-020-00758-4

Rosenberg, A., Mangialasche, F., Ngandu, T., Solomon, A., & Kivipelto, M. (2020). Multidomain Interventions to Prevent Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Dementia: From FINGER to World-Wide FINGERS. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, 7(1), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2019.41