老人通过锻炼可以提高思维能力吗?

ShareTweetIt can be more difficult for seniors to exercise, but many studies have shown that regular exercise can be particularly beneficial. Not only does it increase energy and confer health benefits, it can also help to boost seniors’ thinking skills. Researchers reviewed studies that looked at seniors’ thinking and memory skills in response to regular exercise. The study has been published in Neurology® Clinical Practice, the American Academy of Neurology’s official journal.

老年人锻炼身体比年轻人更困难。但大量研究表明，定期锻炼极具益处——它不仅有益健康、增强体能，而且能够提高老年人的思维能力。那么，定期锻炼具体如何影响老年人的思维能力和记忆力呢?为探究此问题，迈阿密大学米勒医学院的研究人员考察了相关主题的大量研究。

Studies were included where seniors were asked to exercise for at least a month and their thinking and memory skills were compared to participants who did not exercise. In total, 98 studies were found that matched these criteria, involving 11,061 participants with an average age of 73. Most of the participants (58%) did not exercise regularly before becoming involved in the study. 59% of the participants were healthy adults, 26% had mild cognitive impairment, and 15% had dementia. The exercise session length, frequency, and total exercise amount were analysed. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, biking, and dancing, was the most common type of exercise.

研究人员挑选了符合如下标准的研究：比较连续锻炼至少一个月的老年人和不锻炼的老年人的思维能力和记忆力。他们总共挑选出98项符合标准的研究，总共涉及11,061个老年人，平均年龄为73岁。大部分参与者(58%)在研究开始前没有定期锻炼身体的习惯。59%的参与者身体健康，26%有轻微的认知障碍，15%患痴呆症。研究人员分析了各项因素，如单次锻炼时长、锻炼频率、总锻炼时间等。其中，有氧运动是最常见的锻炼形式，包括走路、骑车、跳舞等。

The researchers found increased thinking skills in participants who exercised. Interestingly, the amount of weekly exercise did not play a role in shaping thinking skills. Instead, the number of hours of exercise and the length of each exercise session was important. Those who exercised for at least 52 hours over a period of 6 months, for about an hour each time, showed improvement. However, those who only exercised for 34 hours or less did not show any substantial improvement. It therefore seems important that seniors who want to improve their thinking skills exercise for the long haul.

分析结果显示：锻炼身体者的思维能力有所提升。但有趣的是：每周锻炼量不影响思维能力，总锻炼时间和单次锻炼时长才是重要影响因素。总锻炼时间达52小时、单次锻炼时长约1小时的人的思维能力有所提升;总锻炼时间不超过34小时的人的思维能力没有得到提升。看来，对老年人而言，若想提升思维能力，必须长期坚持锻炼啊。

“These results suggest that a longer-term exercise program may be necessary to gain the benefits in thinking skills,” said study author Joyce Gomes-Osman, PT, PhD, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. “We were excited to see that even people who participated in lower intensity exercise programs showed a benefit to their thinking skills. Not everyone has the endurance or motivation to start a moderately intense exercise program, but everyone can benefit even from a less intense plan.”

研究人员Joyce Gomes-Osman表示：这些分析结果表明：也许只有长期锻炼才能够增强思维能力。让我们感到兴奋的是：连低强度锻炼项目也能够提升思维能力。不是人人都有毅力或动力进行中等强度的锻炼项目，但所有人都可以从哪怕低强度锻炼中获得益处。

Both healthy individuals and those with cognitive impairment benefited from long-term exercise. Their brains were able to process faster and take less time to perform mental tasks. This amount of exercise helped healthy people to manage time, focus, and achieve goals. Unfortunately, no link was found between exercise and improved memory skills.

无论是健康人还是存在认知障碍的人，都能够从长期锻炼中获益。他们的大脑处理速度有所提高，能够缩短完成智力任务的时间。长期锻炼能够帮助健康人群管理时间、集中注意力、达成目标。