Moderate physical activity (measured by walking) slows the buildup of brain changes tied to Alzheimer’s in people who are still cognitively healthy. 🚶♀️🧠
Published In: Nature Medicine
Date: November 2025
Authors: Yau et al.
Link to Study: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03955-6
Summary
This study followed nearly 300 cognitively healthy older adults for up to 14 years to examine how physical activity, measured by daily step counts, affects the progression of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that people who walked more, especially between 5,001–7,500 steps per day, experienced slower accumulation of tau (a harmful brain protein) and slower declines in memory and daily functioning.
The benefit was especially pronounced in individuals with high amyloid levels, a key Alzheimer’s risk marker.
Key Takeaways
✅ More daily steps were linked to slower memory loss and better daily function in people at risk for Alzheimer’s.
✅ A moderate step goal (5,001–7,500 per day) showed the strongest benefit, with effects plateauing at higher step counts.
✅ The effect was not due to less amyloid in the brain but to slower buildup of tau, another protein tied to Alzheimer’s.
✅ People with high brain amyloid benefited most, suggesting targeted prevention may work best in this group.
✅ These findings support walking as an accessible and non-drug intervention for Alzheimer’s prevention.
Why It Matters for You
If you’re in midlife or older and worried about Alzheimer’s, simply walking more each day, especially hitting a moderate step goal, may help protect your brain. You don’t need to reach 10,000 steps; even modest increases can make a difference.
Citation
Yau, W.-Y. W., Kirn, D. R., Rabin, J. S., et al. (2025). Physical activity as a modifiable risk factor in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Medicine. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03955-6