Sitting too much changes your brain and affects memory

LOS ANGELES — Sitting too much is linked to changes in parts of the brain important for memory, according to a preliminary study by UCLA.

Researchers wanted to look at the effects of sedentary behavior on brain health, particularly the sections of the brain critical to memory formation, UCLA reported, according to Science Daily.

The UCLA team found 35 people ranging in age from 45 to 75 and asked their physical activity levels and the average number of hours per day spent sitting the week before.

A high-resolution MRI scan was taken of each subject's medial temporal lobe, MTL. The MTL is the region of the brain involved when forming new memories.

The scientists found that sedentary behavior is a significant predictor of thinning of the MTL and that physical activity is not enough to offset the harmful effects of prolonged periods of sitting.

This is not to say that sitting too much causes thinner brain structures, but instead that extended periods seated are associated with thinner sections, the researchers said.

According to the researchers, MTL thinning can be a precursor to cognitive decline and dementia in middle-aged and older adults.