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Endurance sport can protect the brain from cognitive decline
With the advancing age, our memory and our brain are slowly decreasing. Are there ways and means of stopping or slowing this natural age-related cognitive decline? Researchers have now found that exercise and any kind of exercise that increases heart rate over a longer period of time can have beneficial effects on the brain and protect it from cognitive decline.
A team of scientists from the University of Maryland, Marquette University, and the Medical College of Wisconsin found out in his research that so-called aerobic exercise can stem the age-related cognitive decline in memory. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Journal of Alzheimer Disease" (JAD).
Exercises like jogging or walking can slow down the cognitive decline in our brains. In addition, so-called aerobic exercises also improve mood and protect against depression. (Image: Kzenon - fotolia) Aerobic exercises can improve the overall mood
So-called aerobic exercises have a positive effect on the health of the heart and the brain. Some of the benefits come after a short bike ride, such as a general mood improvement. Other benefits can be determined only after certain exercises have been performed for a period of several weeks, the authors explain. During their examination, the subjects had to perform aerobic exercises for 12 weeks. The researchers wanted to find out if the regular aerobic exercise could positively affect mild cognitive impairment.
Exercises to increase heart rate can be beneficial to the human brain
The results show that the best kind of fitness for your mind is any kind of aerobic exercise. These should be carried out regularly and consistently for at least 45 minutes. Research published in the spring has already shown that any type of exercise to increase heart rate has beneficial effects on the human brain. Such exercises are also referred to as aerobic exercises, add the physicians.
Physical activity helps against depression
Depending on the health benefits you want to achieve, you should do various sports exercises. You can easily integrate a brisk walk or jog into your everyday life. For example, for people with depression, walking on a treadmill for 30 consecutive minutes is ten days in a row, the researchers say. This would achieve a clinically relevant and statistically significant reduction in depression.
Aerobic exercises could be used to treat anxiety disorders and clinical depression
Regular aerobic exercise causes remarkable changes in your body, metabolism, heart and mood, explain the authors. Such exercises have the unique ability to intoxicate and relax. Stimulation and relaxation, for example, would reduce depression and stress. Even endurance athletes benefit from these advantages. Clinical studies have shown that aerobic exercise can be used successfully to treat anxiety disorders and clinical depression.
What are the benefits of this??
The researchers are still not sure why these types of exercises are so beneficial to the brain. The benefits could be related to an increased blood flow, which provides the brain with fresh energy and oxygen, the assumption. The exercises resulted in increased connectivity in ten regions of the brain. The observed protective effects of aerobic exercise on cognition may be explained by the improvement in neuronal recruitment mechanisms, the physicians write. This may increase the so-called cognitive reserve.
Aerobic exercises reduce the levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol
Aerobic exercise can also help people who do not suffer from clinical depression. Those affected feel less stressed by the exercises, which is triggered by the reduced levels of the body's stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, the experts add. (As)