Stronger legs are associated with larger brain volume & slower cognitive decline. 🧵1/7
These findings are from a study in @KargerPublisher which tested whether muscle fitness (measured by leg power) could predict cognitive change in a healthy older population over a 10-year time interval. https://karger.com/ger/article... 2/7
There is consistent evidence from observational studies of a protective association between levels of physical activity and subsequent cognitive ageing within the healthy population. 3/7
In this study, there was consistent and strong evidence that increased leg power at baseline was associated with improved cognitive ageing over the following 10 years. 4/7
In addition, in a discordant twin study, increased leg power within twin pairs was associated with greater grey matter volumes and greater task-related BOLD activation after 12 years. 5/7
Adjustment for baseline leg power significantly reduced the relationship between grey matter and cognitive change, suggesting that prior physical power and global grey matter volume may be on the same causal pathway affecting cognitive ageing. 6/7
Overall, interventions targeted to improve leg power in the long term may help reach a universal goal of healthy cognitive ageing. 7/7
@NTFabiano thick thighs save lives?
@DataPlusEngine Scientifically proven
@NTFabiano Really interesting. Plus, the authors pose a compelling counter-hypothesis: Leg power might not cause better brain health, but it could be a sensitive marker of the kind of activity that does. = a real-time readout of how much ‘brain-nourishing activity’ you’ve accumulated over
@NTFabiano Your thread is gaining traction! #TopUnroll https://threadreaderapp.com/th... 🙏🏼@sivan_kanga for 🥇unroll
@NTFabiano Never skip the leg workout.
@NTFabiano Let’s ski ⛷️
@NTFabiano Thicc thighs save lives @theproof
@NTFabiano Makes sense. Legs aren’t just big muscles, they’re metabolic engines. So, stronger legs = better insulin sensitivity, blood flow and mitochondrial function. All of which support brain health.
@NTFabiano Breakdown of the paper: Title: Kicking Back Cognitive Ageing: Leg Power Predicts Cognitive Ageing after Ten Years in Older Female Twin The study found a very strong connection: the stronger a person's legs were, the better their thinking skills stayed over 10 years. Also,
@NTFabiano Love this. A masterclass in systems thinking: physical strength as a window into metabolic health, brain reserve, and aging trajectories. It reframes strength training not as aesthetics, but as cognitive insurance. Thank you for sharing.
@NTFabiano Never skip leg day 😜
@NTFabiano It is by no means unusual to consider the power of memory in the body and the movement necessary to generate waves. This also leads to a cross-reference to running and the stimuli it exerts on environmental schemata.
@NTFabiano Leg day is brain day too.
@NTFabiano All seniors should be doing air/chair squats for their brain, and so they can get off the toilet.
@NTFabiano There's also a relationship between walking speed and IQ, so that may be a factor here.
@NTFabiano Which is why it matters that Lipitor and other statins weaken muscles and can reduce exercise in the elderly (due to pain and soreness)
@NTFabiano Don’t skip leg day.
@NTFabiano Eating 15g of Creatine before leg day
@NTFabiano @mannyjplays a mesna savant genius
@NTFabiano @grok what is the best exercise for stronger legs
@NTFabiano Don’t skip leg day!
@NTFabiano Sweet! Mine are like tree trunks!
@NTFabiano Never skip leg day
@NTFabiano So leg day isn’t just for the mirror—it's for memory too.
@NTFabiano I would think that it would just be muscle mass/strength in general, not specific to legs
@NTFabiano I have the strongest legs of anyone I know, just saying, whatever, no big deal... 🙄😆
@NTFabiano Sumo wrestlers should be tested!
@NTFabiano Yeh, that makes sense, cardiovascular health, gravity etc.