Khaberni - A new study has found that practicing specific exercises in gyms boosts memory and improves cognitive performance in healthy adults.
American scientists have said that weightlifting for just over 40 minutes enhances long-term memory and improves executive functions, such as processing speed and working memory. Although the study focused on weightlifting as a form of resistance training, the scientists confirmed that other resistance activities, such as squats and knee bends, are expected to yield similar results.
The study was conducted at Purdue University in Indiana, where scientists followed 121 adults aged between 18 and 50 and divided them into two groups. All participants underwent cardiovascular fitness tests and were asked about their lifestyles.
Two days later, blood samples were taken from the participants, and they underwent an electroencephalogram (EEG) to record the brain's electrical activity. The first group then performed moderate-intensity weightlifting exercises, while the second group watched videos of adults performing resistance exercises.
The exercise session lasted 42 minutes, including two minutes of warm-up, followed by two sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise, such as chest presses, bicep curls at the front of the arm, leg presses, and muscle extensions with cables.
After completion, the research team took additional blood samples and conducted another brain mapping. The results showed that the group that performed the exercises experienced an improvement in working memory response times compared to the group that watched the videos.
The scientists explained that the reason for this improvement is not precisely determined, but they assumed that an increase in lactic acid in the blood (an indicator of muscle fatigue) and a rise in blood pressure after exercise could enhance the speed of executive functions, thereby improving cognitive performance. They added that integrating resistance exercises into exercise programs could provide tangible benefits for executive functions.
Previous research has confirmed that regular exercise in midlife may help preserve cognitive functions and slow the onset of dementia. Spanish scientists, in a study involving more than 300 adults aged between 45 and 65, found that exercising for two and a half hours weekly reduced the likelihood of the spread of toxic amyloid protein in the brain, associated with Alzheimer's disease. It was also found that weightlifting three times a week could reduce an individual's biological age by approximately 8 years.
The study was published in the journal Psychophysiology.
