New study examines how cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition can enhance cognitive performance and brain health.
Cardiorespiratory Exercise is Good for Your Brain's Gray Matter
Cardiorespiratory exercise is good for your body, but it can also slow cognitive changes in your brain, particularly in gray matter and total brain volume regions of the brain, reports a new study.
Cardiorespiratory exercise is good for your body, but it can also slow cognitive changes in your brain, particularly in gray matter and total brain volume regions of the brain, reports a new study.
‘Physical activity and fitness interventions can enhance cognitive performance and brain health across the lifespan.’
The study contributes to a growing body of research suggesting that fitness has beneficial effects on brain health. The study applied magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect and measure brain metabolites, focusing specifically on N-acetyl aspartic acid. "NAA is produced in the neurons and is an important biochemical marker of energy production and neuronal health," said Aron Barbey, a University of Illinois psychology professor, who led the research with senior research scientist Ryan Larsen. "Our prior work demonstrates that neuronal health, as measured by NAA, has favorable associations with cognitive performance. We were interested in exploring whether modifiable lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and aerobic fitness, are also linked to NAA."
The researchers showed that a lower percentage of body fat is associated with higher NAA in the white matter and that this relationship largely accounts for the association between NAA and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Exercise Improves Memory and Delays Alzheimer's
Aerobic workouts help improve your memory by boosting the blood flow to your brain. Also, regular exercise can play a small role in delaying or reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Aerobic workouts help improve your memory by boosting the blood flow to your brain. Also, regular exercise can play a small role in delaying or reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
The research team also included U of I psychology professor Neal Cohen; Northeastern University psychology professors Charles Hillman and Arthur Kramer; and Northeastern University postdoctoral fellow Lauren Raine.
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Regular Exercise Boosts Survival in Atrial Fibrillation Patients
Regular endurance training and good fitness can protect against serious cardiovascular events and early death for people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, reports a new study.
Regular endurance training and good fitness can protect against serious cardiovascular events and early death for people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, reports a new study.
Source-Eurekalert
Bigger Brains: Daily Exercise can Prevent Your Brain From Shrinking as You Age
Want to prevent brain shrinkage? Being active can make older people's brains bigger. Daily exercise, hobbies, and leisure activities such as walking, gardening, swimming, and dancing can slow down brain aging.
Want to prevent brain shrinkage? Being active can make older people's brains bigger. Daily exercise, hobbies, and leisure activities such as walking, gardening, swimming, and dancing can slow down brain aging.
