Exercise to Build Up Brainpower

When you go for a run your legs aren’t the only thing getting a work-out – you’re building brainpower too. Exercise has been linked with improved mental functioning, especially related to memory and types of learning.

Like any other muscles and organs, the brain is a tissue that declines with age. While scientists used to think humans were born with a certain number of brain cells, researchers have determined that not only does the brain create new cells – exercise can accelerate the process of neurogenesis – or new brain cell creation. In a recent study, mice and rats that ran on a wheel had around twice as many new neurons when compared to their more sedentary friends.

The reasons behind this build up are somewhat nebulous, but experts suggest that exercise causes the release of  brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a substance that strengthens cells and kicks off neurogenesis. Blood tests on humans after workouts demonstrate elevated levels of BDNF in their bloodstreams.

Whatever the relationship is between exercise and brain health, your activity doesn’t have to be exhausting to be effective.

Seniors who walked as part of a 2011 study were found to have larger hippocampi after a year than peers who just stretched. The walkers also displayed higher levels of BDNF in their bloodstreams than the stretching group and performed better on cognitive tests.

+ Ready to get active? Contact us today to make an appointment with a personal trainer or sign up for our comprehensive Fitness Program!
+ Check out our Senior Health And Preventive Exercise or (SHAPE) program!