Exercise and Dementia: Benefits for Brain Health

Is it true that exercise improves general health and lowers the risk of dementia in the elderly?

Physical Activity and Dementia Prevention

Dementia is a group of disorders that affect memory and thinking. It is currently the seventh biggest cause of mortality in the world (World Health Organization, 2025). Every year, about 10 million new instances of dementia are identified worldwide (Yoon J.H. et al., 2023). A study that looked at the link between exercise and insulin in the brain found that regular exercise may help the brain work better and may even lower the risk of getting dementia. Scientists have found that things like.

• Hypertension
• Elevated blood glucose levels
• Chronological age
• Augment the probability of acquiring dementia. (World Health Organization, 2025)

Muscles necessitate exercise and movement. Those who do not engage in physical activity develop inflexible muscles, which impede insulin’s ability to function effectively. The body becomes more responsive to insulin when it moves, as it softens and squeezes those muscles. Dementia may be prevented by identifying methods to decrease insulin resistance.

Physical Activity Associated with Reduced Risk

For two weeks, researchers observed 21 older persons with prediabetes and discovered that exercise helps the brain control insulin, which directly improves cognitive function. They finished 12 supervised moderate-to-high-intensity exercise sessions. (Malin S. K. et al., 2025)

• The finding indicated a significant increase in brain-derived extracellular vesicles carrying insulin-related proteins.
• These tiny messengers help neurons communicate and play a crucial role in maintaining the brain.
• AKT (protein kinase B, or PKB) is a group of three serine/threonine-specific protein kinases that play crucial roles in various cellular processes, including cell survival, growth, metabolism, and cell cycle regulation.
• The protein is believed to be a major player in insulin signaling and has implications for neuronal cell growth and health.
• Poor insulin response can lead to dementia, so the idea that exercise can help prevent this by possibly increasing insulin signaling is significant.

These results suggest that physical activity could be an easy and low-cost method to help keep your brain healthy over the long term, but further research is needed. In the next part of the project, researchers will employ an insulin spray and MRIs to learn more about how insulin changes how the brain works. To learn more about how the insulin spray works, they will examine how blood flows in the brain before and after giving it.

Insulin and Physical Activity are Crucial for Cognitive Health

Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar. The pancreas makes it. But its part in brain health is just as important. There are many insulin receptors in the brain. When insulin binds to them, it helps neurons talk to each other and strengthens synaptic connections, which help with learning and remembering. (Gray, S. M., Meijer, R. I., & Barrett, E. J. 2014)

The brain is more susceptible to cognitive decline when insulin signaling is inadequate, as evidenced by conditions such as type 2 diabetes. (Yoon J.H. et al., 2023) Research indicates that insulin resistance plays a role in the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles, which are fundamental features of Alzheimer’s disease. (Hong, S., Han, K., & Park, C. Y. 2021) These changes in the brain might happen more slowly or not at all if insulin sensitivity improves. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, is good for the health of your brain. Studies have shown that adults who exercise can improve or maintain their memory and reasoning skills. (Rosenberg A. et al., 2020) Additional methods for enhancing mental health include:

• Staying socially involved
• Challenging the mind
• Getting Restful Sleep
• Stress Management
• Healthy diet
• Staying active.
• Managing Diabetes
• Managing 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.

Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic

Dr. Jimenez is a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner who uses advanced medical knowledge and chiropractic care to treat various illnesses. We combine Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, Electro-Acupuncture, and Sports Medicine at our clinic to make personalized care programs that help people heal naturally, move around, and stay healthy for a long time. We give patients the tools they need to succeed, no matter their age or health problems, by focusing on flexibility, agility, and strength. We at El Paso’s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center are very dedicated to helping people who have been hurt or have chronic pain. We have programs for people of all ages and impairments that focus on improving flexibility, mobility, and agility. We ensure that every patient gets tailored care and wellness outcomes by using in-person and virtual health coaching and full care plans.

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References

World Health Organization. (2025). “Dementia.” World Health Organization. from 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2019.41