In the UnitÂed States and the UK, we’ve seen the emerÂgence of a multiÂbilÂlion-dolÂlar brain trainÂing indusÂtry, premised on the idea that you can improve your memÂoÂry, attenÂtion and powÂers of reaÂsonÂing through the right menÂtal exerÂcisÂes. You’ve likeÂly seen softÂware comÂpaÂnies and web sites that marÂket games designed to increase your cogÂniÂtive abilÂiÂties. And if you’re part of an oldÂer demoÂgraphÂic, worÂried about your aging brain, you’ve perÂhaps been inclined to give those brain trainÂing proÂgrams a try. Whether these proÂgrams can delivÂer on their promisÂes remains an open question–especially seeÂing that a 2010 sciÂenÂtifÂic study from CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty and the BBC conÂcludÂed that there’s “no eviÂdence to supÂport the wideÂly held belief that the regÂuÂlar use of comÂputÂerised brain trainÂers improves genÂerÂal cogÂniÂtive funcÂtionÂing in healthy parÂticÂiÂpants…”
And yet we shouldÂn’t lose hope. A numÂber of othÂer sciÂenÂtifÂic studÂies sugÂgest that physÂiÂcal exercise–as opposed to menÂtal exercise–can meanÂingÂfulÂly improve our cogÂniÂtive abilÂiÂties, from childÂhood through old age. One study led by Charles HillÂman, a proÂfesÂsor of kineÂsiÂolÂoÂgy and comÂmuÂniÂty health at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of IlliÂnois, found that chilÂdren who regÂuÂlarÂly exerÂcise, writes The New York Times:
disÂplayed subÂstanÂtial improveÂments in … execÂuÂtive funcÂtion. They were betÂter at “attenÂtionÂal inhiÂbiÂtion,” which is the abilÂiÂty to block out irrelÂeÂvant inforÂmaÂtion and conÂcenÂtrate on the task at hand … and had heightÂened abilÂiÂties to togÂgle between cogÂniÂtive tasks. TellingÂly, the chilÂdren who had attendÂed the most exerÂcise sesÂsions showed the greatÂest improveÂments in their cogÂniÂtive scores.
And, heartÂenÂingÂly, exerÂcise seems to conÂfer benÂeÂfits on adults too. A study focusÂing on oldÂer adults already expeÂriÂencÂing a mild degree of cogÂniÂtive impairÂment found that resisÂtance and aerÂoÂbic trainÂing improved their spaÂtial memÂoÂry and verÂbal memÂoÂry. AnothÂer study found that weight trainÂing can decrease brain shrinkÂage, a process that occurs natÂuÂralÂly with age.
If you’re lookÂing to get the gist of how exerÂcise proÂmotes brain health, it comes down to this:
ExerÂcise trigÂgers the proÂducÂtion of a proÂtein called brain-derived neuÂrotrophÂic facÂtor, or BDNF, which helps supÂport the growth of existÂing brain cells and the develÂopÂment of new ones.
With age, BDNF levÂels fall; this decline is one reaÂson brain funcÂtion deteÂriÂoÂrates in the elderÂly. CerÂtain types of exerÂcise, nameÂly aerÂoÂbic, are thought to counÂterÂact these age-relatÂed drops in BDNF and can restore young levÂels of BDNF in the age brain.
That’s how The ChicaÂgo TriÂbune sumÂmaÂrized the findÂings of a 1995 study conÂductÂed by researchers at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of CalÂiÂforÂnia-Irvine. You can get more of the nuts and bolts by readÂing The TriÂbune’s recent artiÂcle, The Best Brain ExerÂcise May Be PhysÂiÂcal. (Also see Can You Get Smarter?)
You’re perÂhaps left wonÂderÂing what’s the right dose of exerÂcise for the brain? And guess what, Gretchen Reynolds, the phys ed columÂnist for The Times’ Well blog, wrote a colÂumn on this a few years back. Although the sciÂence is still far from conÂcluÂsive, a study conÂductÂed by The UniÂverÂsiÂty of Kansas Alzheimer’s DisÂease CenÂter found that small dosÂes of exerÂcise could lead to cogÂniÂtive improveÂments. Writes Reynolds, “the encourÂagÂing takeÂaway from the new study … is that briskly walkÂing for 20 or 25 minÂutes sevÂerÂal times a week — a dose of exerÂcise achievÂable by almost all of us — may help to keep our brains sharp as the years pass.”
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared on our site in 2013.
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