Can Physical Cues Signal Dementia?

Cognitive function, like physical function, is determined by a combination of mental and physical fitness, he explained. Brain tissue, like muscle, requires blood and oxygen.

"So, if you can improve that element of the way our bodies work, which is what physical fitness does, you're going to be also protecting the brain from cognitive decline," Larson said. "And, conversely, if you can maintain your brain function by exercising it, you may also be improving your ability to stay physically active."

In his own practice, consisting largely of patients in their 70s and 80s, Larson often recommends consulting a personal trainer or physical therapist for help starting a fitness program.

Will exercise actuallypreventmental decline? Lyketsos said the jury is still out. "What's known is that people who exercise are less likely to get dementia. But people who exercise might be different in other ways," he said. "They might be people who are healthy anyway."

On the other hand, a physical fitness regimen tailored to an individual's needs couldn't hurt. The message to older people with dementia and younger adults who want to prevent mental decline is simple:

"Exercise, exercise, exercise," Heyn said. "Move as much as you can."

More information

Do you believe your loved one is suffering from mental decline? The Family Caregiver Alliance has information on diagnosing dementia.

SOURCES: Eric B. Larson, M.D., M.P.H., Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle; Patricia C. Heyn, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colo.; Constantine G. Lyketsos, M.D., M.H.S., Elizabeth Plank Althouse Professor, and chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore; May 22, 2006;Archives of Internal Medicine; National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Md.