Exercising every day can help you remember things better as you age by activating brain circuits associated with memory, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.
How quickly do we experience the benefits of exercise? A new University of Maryland study of healthy older adults shows that just one session of exercise increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory - including the hippocampus - which shrinks with age and is the brain region attacked first in Alzheimer's disease.
Brain Exercises to Improve Memory
An active brain can certainly help in improving memory by strengthening the connections between neural impulses in brain.
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‘Just one session of exercise every day can do wonders for your brain. A new study suggests that regular exercise activates brain circuits associated with memory in older adults.’
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"While it has been shown that regular exercise can increase the volume of the hippocampus, our study provides new information that acute exercise has the ability to impact this important brain region," said Dr. J. Carson Smith, an associate professor of kinesiology in the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the study's lead author.
Dr. Smith's research team measured the brain activity (using fMRI) of healthy participants ages 55-85 who were asked to perform a memory task that involves identifying famous names and non famous ones. The action of remembering famous names activates a neural network related to semantic memory, which is known to deteriorate over time with memory loss.
![Exercise for Seniors]( "Exercise for Seniors")
Poor health and recurrent illnesses can severely compromise quality of life for seniors. But with appropriate exercise, seniors can age gracefully and maintain overall good health.
This test was conducted 30 minutes after a session of moderately intense exercise (70% of max effort) on an exercise bike and on a separate day after a period of rest. Participants' brain activation while correctly remembering names was significantly greater in four brain cortical regions (including the middle frontal gyrus, inferior temporal gryus, middle temporal gyrus, and fusiform gyrus) after exercise compared to after rest. The increased activation of the hippocampus was also seen on both sides of the brain.
"Just like a muscle adapts to repeated use, single sessions of exercise may flex cognitive neural networks in ways that promote adaptations over time and lend to increased network integrity and function and allow more efficient access to memories," Dr. Smith explained.
Source: Eurekalert
Exercise for Seniors
Poor health and recurrent illnesses can severely compromise quality of life for seniors. But with appropriate exercise, seniors can age gracefully and maintain overall good health.
Advertisement
This test was conducted 30 minutes after a session of moderately intense exercise (70% of max effort) on an exercise bike and on a separate day after a period of rest. Participants' brain activation while correctly remembering names was significantly greater in four brain cortical regions (including the middle frontal gyrus, inferior temporal gryus, middle temporal gyrus, and fusiform gyrus) after exercise compared to after rest. The increased activation of the hippocampus was also seen on both sides of the brain.
"Just like a muscle adapts to repeated use, single sessions of exercise may flex cognitive neural networks in ways that promote adaptations over time and lend to increased network integrity and function and allow more efficient access to memories," Dr. Smith explained.
Source: Eurekalert
Exercise Helps Improve Brain Function in Elderly
Regular exercise for just six months can significantly reduce the decline in brain function seen in older persons that is not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia, finds a study.
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Exercise may Help Battle Depression in SeniorsRegular physical activity may help fight depression in seniors by stimulating muscle-generated mood boosters, finds a new study. | Advertisement
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