The evolutionary history of humans explains why physical activity is important for brain health
This Is Your Brain on Exercise
Exercise is as good for your brain as it is for your body, and researchers are just beginning to discover why
Which Type of Exercise Is Best for the Brain?
For the first time, scientists compared the neurological impacts of different types of exercise in rats: running, weight training and high-intensity interval training.
Self-control saps memory resources
New research shows that exercising willpower impairs memory function by draining shared brain mechanisms and structures
How Exercise Might "Clean" the Alzheimer's Brain
Hints at potential treatments for age-related dementia and memory loss
Dance training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly
Animal research indicates that a combination of physical activity and sensory enrichment has the largest and the only sustaining effect on adult neuroplasticity. Dancing has been suggested as a human homologue to this combined intervention as it poses demands on both physical and cognitive functions. For the present exploratory study, we designed an especially challenging dance program in which our elderly participants constantly had to learn novel and increasingly difficult choreographies. This six-month-long program was compared to conventional fitness training matched for intensity. An extensive pre/post-assessment was performed on the 38 participants (63–80 y), covering general cognition, attention, memory, postural and cardio-respiratory performance, neurotrophic factors and–most crucially–structural MRI using an exploratory analysis. For analysis of MRI data, a new method of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) designed specifically for pairwise longitudinal group comparisons was employed. Both interventions increased physical fitness to the same extent. Pronounced differences were seen in the effects on brain volumes: Dancing compared to conventional fitness activity led to larger volume increases in more brain areas, including the cingulate cortex, insula, corpus callosum and sensorimotor cortex. Only dancing was associated with an increase in plasma BDNF levels. Regarding cognition, both groups improved in attention and spatial memory, but no significant group differences emerged. The latter finding may indicate that cognitive benefits may develop later and after structural brain changes have taken place. The present results recommend our challenging dance program as an effective measure to counteract detrimental effects of aging on the brain.
Action video games improve brain function more than so-called 'brain games'
From "brain games" designed to enhance mental fitness, to games used to improve real-world problems, to games created purely to entertain, today's video
Opinion | There’s a Good Reason You Can’t Concentrate
Just as we changed our thinking around physical fitness, we need to change our attitude toward cognitive fitness.
Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime
Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity
People With Brain Injuries Heal Faster If They Get Up And Get Moving
Doctors tell surgical patients to get out of bed as soon as possible, but people with brain injuries are encouraged to rest. Now it looks like activity can benefit brain injured patients, too.
The Human Brain Owes Its Existence to a Prehistoric Pandemic
How an ancient viral infection helped form humankind.
Brains of overweight people ‘ten years older’ than lean counterparts at middle-age
Our brains naturally shrink with age, but scientists are increasingly recognising that obesity – already linked to conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease – may also affect the onset and progression of brain ageing; however, direct studies to support this link are lacking.
Why boredom is anything but boring
Implicated in everything from traumatic brain injury to learning ability, boredom has become extremely interesting to scientists.
How the Brain Uses Glucose to Fuel Self-Control
The brain requires tons of energy—and new experiments show how low glucose levels and self-control issues are connected.
AI Use at Work Is Causing “Brain Fry,” Researchers Find, Especially Among High Performers
The increased speed and multitasking that AI allows at work is leading to many workers experiencing "brain fry," a new study found.
Scientists identify a crucial brain feature connecting genetics to intelligence
A team of neuroscientists has uncovered evidence that genetic influences on intelligence may operate through the density of brain wiring, highlighting a potential biological bridge between inherited DNA differences and the brain structures that support reasoning and problem-solving.
Why you shouldn’t exercise to lose weight, explained with 60+ studies
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