It is well known that the practice of physical activity is beneficial for all and at all ages.
Stephen Cunnane, professor-researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sherbrooke and at the Center for Research on Aging (CDRV), and his team have discovered that the practice of physical activity is also beneficial in people suffering from Alzheimer’s since it would allow their brain to function better. “Very large consumer of energy, the brain mainly uses the glucose from our food as fuel. When a person suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, the brain is less able to use glucose, which leads to a lack of energy and causes memory problems, ”explains Stephen Cunnane. The solution to this energy problem? Providing the brain with another fuel, ketones, which could compensate for this glucose deficit.
Walking helps boost ketones
Stephen Cunnane’s team found that walking can stimulate the production of ketones which are actually a derivative of dietary or body fat. A study was also carried out in ten people with Alzheimer’s disease at a mild stage. They were required to follow a 15- to 40-minute supervised walking program three times a week for three months. “We found that regular walking increased the energy used by the brain and even seemed to improve the score on certain cognitive tests, including the speed of information processing,” says Stephen Cunnane.
Also:
• On the front page of La Tribune on Friday, February 24.
• To listen again to the interview on Radio-Canada’s regional show Écoutez l’Estrie, given by Alexandre Castellano, research coordinator,
on February 24, 2017 (3:37 PM) following the publication of the study’s findings in the “Journal of Alzheimer disease”.
