News of Note: Brain Fit

A study out of the University of Illinois found that age-related differences in the brains of older adults varied, depending on their level of aerobic endurance.

Using MRI brain scans, the researchers studied the strength of the connections in different parts of participants' brains while they were awake but not performing any particular task. The benefits of fitness seem to occur within the low-to-moderate range of endurance, suggesting that the benefits of fitness for the brain may not depend on being extremely fit.

Researchers believe that their findings will help their understanding of how fitness protects against age-related cognitive decline and dementia.