Many people are aware of the link between a healthy lifestyle and physical/mental health. However, it seems not all exercise has an equal impact on preventing dementia. CNN reports on studies from the 2012 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference that seems to show resistance training has the most positive impact for patients at risk of dementia.

While the studies were small, all including 150 participants or less, they did seemed to indicate that resistance training – such as weight lifting or using resistance bands – could possibly be an intervention for dementia in older adults.

One study divided a group of 86 women, all between the ages of 70 and 80, into three different exercise groups: weight lifting, walking, or balance and tone exercises. Each group did the exercises twice a week for 6 months.

Read the complete report and get more information on Alzheimer’s over at CNN.com.