Breast cancer survivors often complain of memory problems, but according to a study conducted by Northwestern University, moderate to vigorous physical activity can often alleviate symptoms such as stress and even memory problems.
One of the findings discovered by the study, which was published in Psycho-Oncology on July 8th, is that memory problems in the cancer survivors were most likely caused by the high-stress levels experienced, instead of specifically the chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
"Our research suggests these self-reported memory problems may be emotionally related," said lead author Siobhan Phillips, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "These women are frightened, stressed, fatigued, tapped out emotionally and have low self-confidence, which can be very mentally taxing and can lead to perceived memory problems."
Physical activity has long been praised as a combatant of high anxiety and depression as well as a booster of self-confidence, so it is interesting to note how physical activity has even more psychological benefits than previous thought, and is associated with lower levels of perceived memory impairment as well.
“We found moderate to vigorous physical activity actually benefits women psychologically and that, in turn, helps their memory,” Professor Phillips said.
Moderate to vigorous physical activity, including brisk walking, jogging, biking, or a high energy exercise class, were directly linked to fewer subjective memory problems in breast cancer survivors. Subjective memory is an individual’s perception of their memory.
The memory and exercise data were looked at by investigators in two study arms: one in self-reported data for 1,477 women across the country; and the other in accelerometers worn by 362 women. The findings that connected moderate to vigorous physical activity to improved memory were consistent across both groups.
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