Such a simple and enjoyable activity, like cycling, reduces the risk of dementia, as shown by a recent study.
Beyond the benefits for muscles and the skeletal system, cycling also has significant benefits for the brain – this is the conclusion of a study involving half a million people in the UK.
The research was conducted by specialists from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China and the University of Sydney. It all started from analyzing data found in public health records for people over 56 years old in the UK.
An analysis of this data highlighted that, unlike people who use public transportation, those who choose to cycle have a 19% lower risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's, as reported by Science Alert.
Participants in this study were divided into 4 groups, based on their preferred mode of transportation: own car and public transport, walking, cycling, or a combination of other means of transport.
Neuroimaging analyses revealed that cyclists have a larger volume of the hippocampus, the brain region associated with memory and spatial orientation.
Scientists argue that there are several reasons why cycling could protect against dementia. These include the mental effort of navigating roads and orientation, the need to stay alert in traffic, and, last but not least, physical activity and increased exposure to clean air.
Compared to inactive individuals using a car or public transport, cyclists have recorded:
- 19% lower risk of dementia
- 22% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease
- 40% lower risk of early-onset dementia (before 65 years old)
- 17% lower risk of late-onset dementia.