It is known that as we age, all the reserves of our body are depleted, and organs and tissues begin to gradually lose their function. According to numerous studies, after 40 years, a person's brain volume decreases by an average of 5% every subsequent 10 years of life, which is fraught with not only memory impairment, but also the development of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. But scientists from the University of Western Sydney and the University of Manchester have found a way to stop this process, and this method is available to everyone.
No matter how trite it may sound, but the "secret" of longevity is aerobic exercise. During the experiment, experts studied the effect of aerobic exercise on the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory functioning and other cognitive functions. A number of animal studies have proven the effectiveness of aerobic exercise to improve brain function, and now it's time to experiment with humans.
In a new experiment, experts analyzed the data of 737 people. This group included both healthy people and patients with various disorders: from commonplace memory problems to Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The age of the participants ranged from 24 to 76 years. The entire group of people underwent a brain scan and a series of tests, which evaluated the final result. Then the subjects were assigned various aerobic exercises: exercise on stationary bicycles, walking and swimming. The duration of the exercise cycles ranged from 3 to 24 months with an interval of 2-5 sessions per week.
As a result, it was possible to find out that in the course of such a sports experiment, absolutely all subjects had a significant increase in the volume of the hippocampus, as well as an increase in the production of brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is responsible for the functioning and development of neurons and synapses. As study author Dr. Joseph Firth noted, “When you exercise, your body produces a chemical called BDNF, which may help prevent age-related decline in intelligence and reduce the rate of degenerative brain processes. In addition, raising BDNF levels may be beneficial for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Aerobic exercise helps keep the neurons in the brain healthy for much longer and delay or even prevent disease."
Vladimir Kuznetsov