Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:40:0
David Goodhue - AHN Reporter
Miami, FL (AHN) - A new study suggests Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment may be kept at bay by building muscle strength.
Researchers with the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago assessed more than 900 older people living in retirement homes who did not have dementia for muscle strength.
During a mean follow-up of about 4 years, 138 of the participants developed Alzheimer's disease. After adjusting for factors like age, sex and educational status, the researchers said each unit of muscle strength measured at the beginning of the study was associated with about a 43 percent decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Muscle strength was also associated with a slower rate of decline in global cognitive function and mild cognitive impairment, which is a precursor to Alzheimer's disease.
The study is published in the November issue of the Archives of Neurology.
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