Brain Exercises: Get Your Mind in Shape
Δευτέρα 21 Φεβρουαρίου 2011
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When it comes to self-improvement, I’ve always prioritized my brain over my body. Why waste an hour scurrying on a treadmill like a gerbil with a bunch of sweaty strangers when I could spend it curled up with a good book? Not being one to obsess about that real or imagined “last five pounds,” I’ve never had the motivation it takes to become a regular at the gym. But I just learned something that might change my mind (in more ways than one): Exercise, far from being a boring time-suck, could actually make me smarter.
Scientists have known for some time that exercise sparks growth of new brain cells in mice, particularly in the hippocampus, the area related to memory and learning. They recently also found that it boosts the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which stimulates the rate at which nerve cells bind to create new pathways, increasing the brain’s storage capacity. Getting your body in motion gets your mind moving—both enhancing mental agility in the short term and protecting against cognitive decline in the long term. It might even benefit those with early Alzheimer’s: In a study coauthored by University of Washington behavioral sciences researcher Laura Baker, PhD, in January’s Archives of Neurology, older adults with mild cognitive impairment who engaged in regular aerobic training showed improved concentration and multitasking skills, while a control group that spent the same amount of time doing low-effort stretching exercises exhibited continued mental decline.
