Hitting the Gym for My Brain

            That’s right, I just said I was going to hit the gym for my brain.  Not for my arms or a killer pecs, but for the health of my brain.  Recent studies have indicated brain health is correlated to the amount of exercise one gets through out the day.  If you think about it, it makes sense.  You have a higher blood flow going to your brain, which means more oxygen and nutrients as well.  But what about those weird games promising better brain health.  I see them all the time on television for example luminosity, which claims to improve cognitive brain health though fun and simple games.  They even say its “based on Neuroscience.”  People seem to be flocking to those kinds of ways to improve their brain function and sometimes spend quite a lot in the process.  There is however a more simpler and cost effective way and just like I mentioned before it involves exercising.

            A study done at the University of California by Carl W. Cotman provides more information on how exercise can improve cognitive functions of the brain.  His study claims that exercise can best improve memory and learning as well as avoid depression and neurodegeneration especially in the elderly generations.   The way this happens is through increased synaptic plasticity, which directly affects all the synaptic structures as increases, the synaptic strength.   Exercising also strengthens other systems that potentially help plasticity.  These include neurogenesis meaning the network among the neurons strengthens, and increased metabolism and vascular functions as well.   When you get increased brain development there are regions that become stronger due to increased networking and proficiency causing changes for the better.   Hippocampus region was one of the main focuses and best-studied area of the brain.  Cotman’s study also claims that aside from the decreased risks in diabetes, hear disease, and “other peripheral risk factors” you get the added benefits that would otherwise cause neurodegeneration and dysfunction.  A concept that he mention in the paper is that underlying effects of exercising causes inflammation which can inhibit growth factors.  With regulated exercise, you would show a regulated growth factor production.  Along side of that, reduced peripheral and central risk factors can potentially improve cognitive function and better brain health.

            Art Kramer from the University of Illinois, Champagne came to our seminar class at Loyola University Chicago to present his research on cognitive function in relation to physical exercise.  This presentation was unique in the sense that it caught my attention for sure.  He happened to mention a lady who started working out at round 75 years of age and by the age of 91 had as many as 25 world records!  That is beyond crazy in my perspective.  He also mentioned that there is really no age to start working out, you kind of just need to get up and actually do it.  Kramer mentioned that there were more studies done with aerobic exercise, which seems to be the reason behind a lot of the finding we see today.  It makes sense though through aerobic exercises you have more blood flowing more of your body in motion.

            What should you do know?  Well that’s entirely up to you, I know I’m about to go to the gym and work on my gains for both my muscles and my brain. 

Reference:

            Carl W. Cotman, Nicole C. Berchtold, Lori-Ann Christie. University of California, Irvine Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, 1113 Gillespie Building, Irvine, CA 92617-4540, USA Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved.
Trends in Neurosciences, Volume 30, Issue 9, 464-472, 1 September 2007