Physical Exercise may Benefit Brain as Well

Though the main reason for exercising is to maintain physical fitness, a new study carried out by researchers at Dartmouth College suggests that it may benefit the brain as well. The researchers said that exercising not only develops our body, but also helps in developing our brain by improving memory. The researchers also noticed a link between exercise and responding favorably to behavioral interventions among children with ADHD. The study has been published in the journal Neuroscience.

The researchers then tested their findings on a group of rats who had behavior similar to those with ADHD and found that those rats that exercised managed to reduce ADHD related behaviors with female rats responding better compared to male rats.

The researchers also found that a protein, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was present in higher levels among rats who exercised and led to improved memory. Higher expression of the protein was present in adolescent rats who exercised compared to adult rats who exercised for a similar amount of time.

Source-Medindia