Pumping iron, boosting brainpower

Weightlifting can play a key role in healthy aging for women. Researchers followed 120 women with an average age of 68 through a 12-week program and found that weight training three times per week created measurable improvements in brain function, including memory, attention and verbal skills. It also had significant mental health benefits, as symptoms of depression dropped up to 34% while anxiety levels fell even further. Researchers recommend resistance-training “prescriptions” that can be adapted according to personal goals, capabilities and preferences, finding that both lighter and heavier lifting routines produced similar gains. The research was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.