Regular aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain and the size of the hippocampus, which is involved in verbal memory and learning, according to Small.
The researchers also performed MRI examinations on approximately 2,000 individuals aged 60 or older and discovered that the larger the hippocampus, the more active the individual.
Clinical in 2020, it was discovered that six months of strength training can prevent the hippocampus from shrinking in older adults.
Another study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared the effects of two types of exercise performed once or twice a week for 12 months by women aged 65 to 75, namely balance
Tone training and resistance training, and found that resistance training produced the best results for memory and other cognitive measurements.
Yoga once a week and 12 minutes of at-home meditation experienced significant improvements in both verbal and visual-spatial memory.
These kinds of changes occur when we practice unfamiliar movements, because when we learn new skills, we actually form new neural pathways.
According to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, older adults who practiced tai chi for 12 weeks had a greater ability to multitask than those who did not.
They also had increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain responsible for higher-level thought.
Tai chi may help enhance reasoning, planning, problem-solving, and memory in older adults without significant cognitive impairment
A landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that regular dancing reduced the risk of dementia by 76%, which is twice as much as reading.
A review published in the journal Current Alzheimer Research in 2017 concluded that dance interventions improved dementia patients' cognitive function.