Chalk up another benefit of exercising. Researchers have found that elderly adults who are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampus size and better spatial memory than those who are less fit:

The researchers, from the University of Illinois and the University of Pittsburgh, measured the cardiorespiratory fitness of 165 adults (109 of them female) between 59 and 81 years of age. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers conducted a volumetric analysis of the subjects’ left and right hippocampi. They also tested the participants’ spatial reasoning.

They found a significant association between an individual’s fitness and his or her performance on certain spatial memory tests. There was also a strong correlation between fitness and hippocampus size.

“The higher fit people have a bigger hippocampus, and the people that have more tissue in the hippocampus have a better spatial memory,” said U. of I. psychology professor Art Kramer, who led the study with Pittsburgh psychology professor Kirk Erickson.

Now, I’ll translate it for you in English. In neuroscience, spatial memory is the part of memory responsible for recording information about one’s environment and how it relates to your body. The hippocampus is the structure in the brain that is a vital part of memory formation. Studies have found that the hippocampus shrinks with age, causing cognitive declines.

A decline in spatial memory is one reason that adults lose their independence as they age, as balance and walking can become problematic. Regular exercise, especially lower body work, will help improve balance and reduce the risk of falls.

In other words, you’ve got another reason to get moving. Just be sure to check with you doctor before you start any exercise program.

-Elizabeth Thielke