(CBS News) Need a memory boost? A new study shows that combining
moderate exercise with computer use decreases one's odds of
memory loss. Previous studies have shown that exercising your
body and stimulating your mind help with memory - but the new
study shows the benefits of the two when combined. The study,
published in the May 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings,
looked at 926 people in Olmsted County, Minn., ages 70 to 93.
The participants answered questionnaires about their exercise
and computer use within the past year. Of the participants who
did not exercise and did not use a computer, 20.1 percent were
cognitively normal and 37.6 percent showed signs of mild
cognitive impairment. Of those who exercised and used a
computer, 36 percent were cognitively normal and 18.3 percent
showed signs of mild cognitive impairment. "The aging of baby
boomers is projected to lead to dramatic increases in the
prevalence of dementia," Dr. Yonas Geda, a physician scientist
with the Mayo Clinic, said in a written state