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Weight training offers numerous benefits, including increased strength and muscle mass, reduced body fat, and improved overall well-being and mental health. A recent study conducted at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo, Brazil, has highlighted another crucial advantage: it helps protect the brains of older adults against dementia. The findings were published in the journal GeroScience.

The study involved 44 participants with mild cognitive impairment, a condition that lies between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. In this stage, cognitive decline is more significant than expected for a person’s age, indicating a higher risk of developing dementia. The results revealed that strength training not only enhanced memory performance but also led to changes in brain structure.

Effects on Brain Health

After six months of twice-weekly weight training, the participants showed protection against atrophy in the hippocampus and precuneus – brain areas associated with Alzheimer’s disease – as well as improvements in parameters that reflect the health of neurons (white matter integrity).

“We already knew that there would be a physical improvement. Cognitive improvement was also imagined, but we wanted to see the effect of weight training on the brains of older people with mild cognitive impairment. The study showed that, fortunately, weight training is a strong ally against dementia, even for people who are already at high risk of developing it,” says Isadora Ribeiro, a FAPESP doctoral fellowship recipient at UNICAMP’s School of Medical Sciences (FCM) and first author of the article.

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