"When I asked neurologists about their top behaviors for brain health, they all stressed the importance of physical activity. Exercise is top, No. 1, when we're thinking about the biggest bang for your buck, said Dr. Gregg Day, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic. Numerous studies have shown that people who exercise regularly tend to perform better on attention, memory and executive functioning tests. There can be a small cognitive boost immediately after a workout, and the effects are sustained if people exercise consistently."
"Researchers think that moving your muscles benefits your brain in part because of special signaling molecules called exerkines. During and after a workout, your muscles, fat and other organs release these molecules into the bloodstream, some of which make their way up to the brain. There, those exerkines go to work, helping to facilitate the growth of new connections between neurons, the repair of brain cells and, possibly, the birth of new neurons."
Regular physical activity produces immediate and sustained cognitive benefits, improving attention, memory and executive function. Muscle, fat and other organs release signaling molecules called exerkines during and after exercise; these circulate to the brain and support neuronal connection growth, cell repair and possibly neurogenesis. Exercise also increases cerebral blood flow, enhancing delivery of oxygen and glucose and helping clear toxic proteins such as amyloid. These combined effects slow brain aging, reduce hippocampal shrinkage associated with aging and Alzheimer's, and are associated with a lower long-term risk of dementia when exercise is consistent.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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