It is known that with aging, all the reserves in our body are depleted and the organs and tissues gradually start to lose their function. According to numerous studies, after 40 years, the volume of the human brain decreases on average by 5% every 10 years of life, which is fraught not only memory impairment, but also the development of neurodegenerative diseases. But scientists from the University of Western Sydney and the University of Manchester found a way to stop this process, and this method available to everyone.
As corny as it may sound, but “secret” of longevity are aerobic exercises. In the experiment, experts examined the effect of aerobic exercise on the hippocampus, which is responsible for the functioning of memory and other cognitive functions. A number of studies conducted on animals have proven the effectiveness of aerobic exercise to improve brain performance, and now it was the turn of experiments on humans.
In the new experiment, the experts analyzed data from 737 people. This group includes both healthy people and patients with various disorders: from the trivial memory problems to Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. The age of the participants was in the range from 24 to 76 years. The whole group of people had carried out a brain scan, a number of tests used to assess the final result. Then the subjects were assigned to various aerobic exercise: spinning classes, walking and swimming. Cycles duration of exercise ranged from 3 to 24 months with an interval of 2-5 sessions per week.
In the end we found out that during the such sports of the experiment is that all subjects significantly increased the volume of the hippocampus, and also increased production of neurotrophic factor brain (BDNF), which is responsible for the operation and development of neurons and synapses. As noted by the study’s author Dr. Joseph Firth,
“When you exercise, your body produces a chemical BDNF, which may help to prevent age-related decline in intelligence and to slow down degenerative processes in the brain. In addition, increased levels of BDNF may be useful for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Aerobic exercises help maintain the brain’s neurons are in a healthy condition for much longer and delay or even prevent the emergence of diseases.”
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Vladimir Kuznetsov