Another Study Supports Exercise for Health

Some people have brain-scan abnormalities called white-matter hyperintensities. They show up as bright areas on an MRI. High levels of these abnormalities are linked with a future decline in brain function. A study of 167 older adults has found that exercise may counteract this decline. Researchers measured daily activity for 11 days. People also underwent multiple tests of motor function, and had brain scans. In people who were the most active, the number of hyperintensities had no effect on motor function test scores. In people with low to average amounts of exercise, high levels of hyperintensities were linked with poor motor-function scores. The study was published in the journal Neurology.