We are searching data for your request:
Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials.
Even light exercise keeps our brains healthy
Unfortunately, there are more and more cases of dementia worldwide. What are the options for preventing dementia? Researchers have now found that even light sporting activities such as walking, yoga or tai chi protect against the disease.
The scientists from the University of California, Irvine and the University of Tsukuba in Japan found in their joint study that even very light training sessions increase connectivity between parts of the brain that are responsible for memory formation and information storage. The doctors published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences".
Even short walks have a positive effect on the brain
Light exercise, such as yoga or tai chi, can help keep the brain healthy. In addition, short walks during the day have a significant impact on memory improvement and cognition, says study author Professor Michael Yassa of the University of California, Irvine.
Ten minutes of light physical exertion can make all the difference
In the current study of 36 healthy young adults, the researchers discovered that a single 10-minute phase of light effort can bring significant cognitive benefits. Using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging, the team examined the brains of the test subjects shortly after the training units and noticed a better connection between the so-called hippocampal dental gyrus and cortical areas, which are linked to detailed memory processing.
Improving the function of the hippocampus is very promising
The hippocampus is critical to creating new memories; it is one of the first regions of the brain to deteriorate with age. In Alzheimer's, this negative process is much stronger, explains Professoor Yassa. "Improving the function of the hippocampus is very promising to improve memory in everyday life," added the expert in a press release.
Training had an immediate impact
Sport strengthened communication between memory-focused parts of the brain. The possibility of new cells forming should not be neglected, but this is a process that takes a little longer, the doctors explain. "What we observed was that these 10-minute training sessions showed results immediately afterwards," explains Professor Yassa in the press release from the University of California, Irvine.
It's good to count your steps
It is encouraging to see more people keeping an eye on their exercise habits, for example by monitoring the number of steps they take, the expert says. Even short walks on foot during the day can have a significant impact on memory and perception improvement.
Further research is being carried out
Professor Yassa and his colleagues at the UCI and the University of Tsukuba are currently testing older adults who are at higher risk of age-related mental impairment for regular, short, light exercises that are performed daily for several weeks or months have a long-term positive effect on the structure and function of the brain. (as)
