How Exercise Contributes to Brain Health by Rob Urbach
The ability to think clearly and remember things begins to deteriorate as people get older. This is largely due to cerebral atrophy and the accumulation of extracellular plaques that inhibit neuron development. There are ways to slow this down and exercise is likely the key. Research studies are increasingly proving that exercising regularly can have positive effects on the human brain, which can lead to improved cognitive function and memory. Increasing Brain Size with Aerobics Deep within the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex is the hippocampus, the section of the brain that regulates memory, critical thinking, motivation and the ability to learn new things. Researchers believe that it reaches its optimum size at the age of about twenty, then it begins to shrink in size most likely due to glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Thankfully regular aerobic exercise can serve as an intervention to these processes. While the exact reason for this is not clear, it appears to be linked to the stimulation of neurons in the brain. Best Forms of Aerobic Exercise