Aerobic exercise post-stroke boosts cognition safely.
Aerobic exercise post-stroke may protect thinking skills and is safe, new research finds.
Why it matters
- Starting aerobic exercise early after a stroke may help protect thinking skills.
- Offers hope for stroke survivors to reduce dementia risk.
By the numbers
- 107 stroke survivors participated.
- 8 weeks of aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, 60 minutes per session.
- Exercise group performed better on cognitive tests by ~3.7 seconds at 12 months.
The big picture
- Both aerobic and balance/stretching exercises may preserve brain volume.
- Exercise can be safely offered to stroke survivors as early as two months post-stroke.
What they're saying
- Lead author Prof. Amy Brodtmann: Both interventions may protect the brain.
Caveats
- Small sample size, control group wasn't inactive.
- Limited generalizability due to fewer women and highly educated participants.
- Small cognitive improvements may not be meaningful in daily life.
What’s next
- Further research to unpack these effects and provide more answers.