Sitting is the new smoking. Prolonged sitting isn’t just bad for your heart; it could also shrink your brain. This effect cannot be compensated for, even if you work out regularly. Yes, that’s right. A recent study found that sedentary behavior is linked with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline despite engaging in physical activity. A study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh found that increased sedentary behavior (time spent sitting or lying down) significantly increases the risk of brain shrinkage, related to risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, especially among older adults. The findings are published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. Link between brain shrinkage and prolonged sitting
It is known that prolonged sitting increases the risk of chronic diseases, musculoskeletal problems, and even premature death. But this new study has found that it could also lead to cognitive decline. The researchers found that despite regular physical activity, older adults who spend more time sedentary show greater signs of cognitive decline and brain atrophy over time.The study also suggests that sedentary behaviour may be an independent risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that already affects millions of people across the globe.The study
The researchers looked at 404 adults aged 50 and older for over a seven-year period to undestand the effects of sedentary behavior on cognitive health. The participants were asked to wear activity-monitoring devices for one week to track how much time they spent sitting or lying down. Their sedentary time was then related to their cognitive performance and brain scans captured over a seven-year follow-up period. The researchers found that people who spent more time sedentary were more likely to experience cognitive decline and neurodegenerative changes, regardless of how much they exercised. This was prominent in participants who carried the APOE-e4 allele, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. This stresses that reducing sedentary time may be especially important for older adults who are at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
“Reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease is not just about working out once a day. Minimizing the time spent sitting, even if you do exercise daily, reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” lead author Marissa Gogniat, PhD, assistant professor of Neurology at Pitt and former postdoctoral fellow at the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, said in a statement.
“It is critical to study lifestyle choices and the impact they have on brain health as we age. Our study showed that reducing sitting time could be a promising strategy for preventing neurodegeneration and subsequent cognitive decline. This research highlights the importance of reducing sitting time, particularly among aging adults at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. It is critical to our brain health to take breaks from sitting throughout the day and move around to increase our active time,” co-author Angela Jefferson, PhD, professor of Neurology and founding director of the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center at VUMC, added.
