New research from the University of Maryland School of Public Health shows exercise may improve cognitive function in those at risk for Alzheimer’s by improving the efficiency of brain activity associated with memory. Led by Dr. J. Carson Smith, assistant professor in the department of kinesiology, the study provides new hope for those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It is the first to show that an exercise intervention with older adults with mild cognitive impairment (average age 78) improved not only memory recall, but also brain function, as measured by functional neuroimaging (fMRI). The findings are published in the August issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.