Takeaway
Greater levels of leisure-time physical activity in mid-life may protect against cerebrovascular complications that can occur later in life.
Why this matters
Although physical activity has been associated with less cognitive decline and dementia, pathways that link physical activity to brain pathology outcomes have not been well studied in the community.
Clinical trials have mixed conclusions around the benefits of physical activity, which may be attributed to short follow-up periods and enrolling older patients with mild cognitive impairment. This is not reflective of the natural progression of life-long physical activity.