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Healthy brain aging: role of exercise and physical activity
Rolland Y, Abellan van Kan G, Vellas B.. Clinics in geriatric medicine, 2010-02-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
There is increasing evidence to suggest that physical activity has a protective effect on brain functioning in older people. To date, no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has shown that regular physical activity prevents dementia, but recent RCTs suggests an improvement of cognitive functioning in persons involved in aerobic programs, and evidence is accumulating from basic research. Future prevention of Alzheimer disease may depend on lifestyle habits such as physical activity.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Rolland, Y., Abellan van Kan, G., & Vellas, B. (2010). Healthy brain aging: role of exercise and physical activity. Clinics in geriatric medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2009.11.002
Vancouver
Rolland Y, Abellan van Kan G, Vellas B. Healthy brain aging: role of exercise and physical activity. Clinics in geriatric medicine. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2009.11.002. PMID: 20176294.
BibTeX
@article{rolland2010-20176294,
author = {Rolland, Y. and Abellan van Kan, G. and Vellas, B.},
title = {{Healthy brain aging: role of exercise and physical activity}},
journal = {Clinics in geriatric medicine},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1016/j.cger.2009.11.002},
pmid = {20176294},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2009.11.002}
}
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Key findings
- There is increasing evidence to suggest that physical activity has a protective effect on brain functioning in older people.
- To date, no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has shown that regular physical activity prevents dementia, but recent RCTs suggests an improvement of cognitive functioning in persons involved in aerobic programs, and evidence is accumulating from basic research.
Why it matters
This review notes that no randomized controlled trial has shown that regular physical activity prevents dementia, though some recent trials suggest aerobic exercise may improve cognitive functioning in older people. The evidence for a protective effect on brain aging is accumulating from basic research, but prevention of Alzheimer's disease through exercise remains unproven.
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Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Clinics in geriatric medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Clinics in Geriatric Medicine: journal h-index 120 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 103 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.7 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Bruno J. Vellas: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20176294) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
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