Greater Sedentary Time Associated With Higher Risk for Alzheimer Disease

FRIDAY, May 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Sedentary time is associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD), according to a study published online May 13 in Alzheimer”s & Dementia.

Marissa A. Gogniat, Ph.D., from the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer”s Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and colleagues examined how sedentary behavior relates to longitudinal brain structure and cognitive changes in older adults in a study involving 404 participants from the Vanderbilt Memory and Aging Project. Participants completed seven days of actigraphy, neuropsychological assessment, and 3 Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging during a seven-year period. Sedentary time was examined in relation to brain structure and cognition.

The researchers found that greater sedentary time was associated with a smaller AD-neuroimaging signature and worse episodic memory in cross-sectional models. The associations varied based on apolipoprotein E ε4 status. Greater sedentary time related to faster hippocampal volume reductions and declines in naming and processing speed in longitudinal models.

“Our study showed that reducing sitting time could be a promising strategy for preventing neurodegeneration and subsequent cognitive decline,” study coauthor Angela Jefferson, Ph.D., also from the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer”s Center, said in a press release. “This research highlights the importance of reducing sitting time, particularly among aging adults at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer”s disease. It is critical to our brain health to take breaks from sitting throughout the day and move around to increase our active time.”

One author disclosed ties to Vivid Genomics.

Abstract/Full Text