Image of nurses' hands at computer keyboard

Seniors who have better heart and lung health tend to have better memory recall and cognitive capabilities, according to a new study in the Journal of Gerontology.

The correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness extends to long-term memory, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine said. They compared adults between the ages of 18 and 31 with those between ages 55 and 82 with a series of neuropsychological testing. In the older adult group, better physical fitness levels were associated with improved executive function and memory.

The work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research & Development Service. Participant recruitment was provided by the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center.