Biking & Brain Health: Aging Well
Cycling Linked to Lower Dementia Risk, Study Finds
Middle-aged and older adults who regularly cycle may face a reduced risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. The 13-year study, involving over 8,800 dementia cases and nearly 4,000 Alzheimer’s diagnoses, suggests that incorporating cycling into daily travel habits could offer significant cognitive benefits.
The study, led by Liangkai Chen at Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, found that individuals who cycled, or included cycling with other travel methods like walking, driving, or public transit, had a lower incidence of both dementia and Alzheimer’s. Brain scans further revealed that cycling correlated with a larger hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory and learning.
Though, the protective effects of cycling appeared most pronounced in those without a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s. Participants lacking the APOE E4 genetic variant experienced a 26% lower risk of dementia and a 25% lower risk of Alzheimer’s. While results for APOE E4 carriers were not statistically significant, they indicated less protection from cycling.
Interestingly, the study also suggested that driving offered some protection against dementia compared to using public transportation.
Researchers cautioned that the observational nature of the study prevents definitive conclusions about cause and effect.
“our findings suggest that promoting active travel strategies, especially cycling, may be associated with lower dementia risk among middle-aged and older adults, which carries considerable public health benefits by encouraging accessible, sustainable practices for cognitive health preservation,” saeid Liangkai Chen, associate professor at Tongji Medical College at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China.
“Even when using inactive travel like car or public transportation, it seemed like driving had a little bit better impact [on brain health] then public transportation,” Sinvani said in the news release.
According to Sinvani, any activity that gets people moving and engages the brain can help reduce dementia risk. “What I tell my patients and family and friends whenever they ask me what they can do to reduce their risk of dementia is whatever gets you outside doing stuff is what you should be doing,” she said. ”I think we see that it’s not just the physical activity but it’s also in the balance, and it really engages different parts of your brain.”
She added that cycling is preferable to walking, but walking is far better than staying home.
“I think if it’s, ‘should I walk or take a bike?’ I would say take a bike, but if it’s ’should I walk or just stay home?’ I would say definitely walk,” Sinvani said.