Maintaining blood sugar levels, even in the absence of disease, may be an important strategy for preserving cognitive health.

“Senior moments”, a term for small lapses in memory, may be caused at least in part by rising blood glucose levels as you age. The findings of a new study suggest that exercising to improve blood sugar levels could be a way for some people to stave off the cognitive decline that comes with aging.

In the study, the researchers mapped out the specific areas of the hippocampus, a brain region associated with memory, that were impacted by late-life diseases like diabetes and stroke. They looked at measures that typically change during aging, such as rising blood sugar, body mass index, cholesterol and insulin levels.

The research found that decreasing activity in one part of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus only correlated with levels of blood glucose. Decreasing brain function in the dentate gyrus is a main contributor to age-related memory decline.