An interesting study revealed that physical exercise helps generate new neurons

For decades, it was thought brain was unable to develop new neurons. Over time, experts discovered that this claim was false and that there was a way for this organ to spread: do exercise.

Brain and exercise: what is the experiment that changed everything

In an experiment with mice, scientists discovered that animals that ran on a wheel, exercise basic and simple, they obtained new neurons in the hippocampusbrain structure associated with memory.

This process appeared to be linked to the production of a protein called neurotrophic factor derived from brain (BDNF), which is produced throughout the body and in the brainand promotes both the growth and survival of nascent neurons.

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Studies demonstrated surprising results by showing that exercise can counteract hippocampal atrophy, which is associated with memory problems in healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.

Since then, other studies have established that exercise has positive effects on the brain of the humans.

What is the relationship between the brain and physical activity?

It is common to believe that walking and running are activities that the body can perform on autopilot. But research conducted over the last decade indicates that this is just a myth: exercise is both a cognitive and physical activity.

Later investigations confirmed that the aerobic exercise In humans, as in rodents, it stimulates the production of BDNF and increases the size and connectivity of key areas of the brainincluding the hippocampus.

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He exercise It has benefits for both the body and the brain.

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Although it has not yet been determined whether these effects are due to neurogenesis or other forms of brain plasticityit is clear that the exercise benefits the cognitive functions of the hippocampus.

Furthermore, it was documented that the aerobic exercise It also benefits other parts of the brainsuch as the prefrontal cortex, which improves cognitive executive functions, such as planning and decision making, which tend to deteriorate with healthy aging and in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

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Do physical activity encourages parts of brain that deteriorate with Alzheimer’s.

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Other experiments: what the case of the United Kingdom is about

In a study of more than 7,000 middle-aged to older adults in the United Kingdompublished in 2019 in Brain Imaging and Behaviorit was shown that people who spent more time on a physical activity moderate to vigorous activity had larger hippocampal volumes.

Furthermore, a 12-month randomized trial in older adults showed that aerobic exercise improves BDNF levels, increasing the size of the hippocampus and taking care of memory.