OHSU finds walking, reminiscing improve brain health in older Black adults

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A recent study from OHSU has found that walking, reminiscing and the socialization that goes with those activities benefit mood, cognitive function and overall brain health in older Black adults.

Known as Sharing History through Active Reminiscence and Photo-Imagery (SHARP), the project involved a pool of older Black adults who walked in groups of three through areas of North and Northeast Portland, walking 72 different mile-long routes three times a week over a six-month period.

The reminiscing component was prompted by what OHSU calls "memory markers" on smart tablets. These could take the form of news clippings, photos, advertisements or artifacts like political campaign buttons.

Overall, the results not only showed improved mood and physical health, but also "a statistically significant average improvement in brain function among those with mild cognitive impairment," according to OHSU. They added this is particularly remarkable because Black adults are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s.

While some participants reported "triggering" memories -- especially as these neighborhoods have displaced families through gentrification -- they were not going through these experiences alone.

“There is pain, yes,” said head researcher Raina Croff, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine and an investigator in the OHSU Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “But it’s a shared pain and a pain they’re walking through together, both metaphorically and literally.”

Overall, this shared bonding experience was a likely contributor to the participants' reported mood improvement, both after their walks and at the end of the study period.

Since the project launched in 2016, it has inspired similar ones to take root in cities like Oakland and Seattle. Croft added this speaks to the wider need for humans to connect socio-culturally, no matter the location.

“I think humans are always going to want to connect,” she said. “We’ll always have a need and a desire to connect face-to-face with people and be connected at least in some level to our physical environment.”

If you or someone you know is interested in signing up for clinical trials underway at the OHSU Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, you can sign up here.