Daily upgrade…….
Science News ( Feb. 25, 2006 Vol. 169, NO. 8 ) published an article detailing the effects of exercise on brain fitness. Recent research has found exercise to boost brain function. More surprisingly, this benefit extends to brains which have been damaged by disease or injury. What is the cause of this boost? During exercise the brain excretes chemicals know as neurotrophic factors. These proteins produce numerous positive effects on nerve cells. They protect against injury, promote growth and encourage neurons to strengthen their connections which is interpreted as a sign of learning. The most important protein in this class turned out to be brain-derived neurotrophic factor which is commonly referred to as BDNF; not only does BDNF produce growth but also acts as a modulator which stimulates other chemicals to switch on and amplify BDNF’s effects. As one researcher, Fernando Gomez-Pinilla of the University of California in Los Angeles noted, "Locomotion played a very important role in evolution. Animals had to move to find food and run away from predators. Exercise had a direct action on brain regions related to cognition. Normally, when two functions evolve in this way, you can’t separate them."
Add comment June 23rd, 2006