• Physical activity may protect your brain

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Tuesday, March 08, 2022 21:30:38
    Physical activity may protect your brain as you age
    Even just a few more steps a day benefits cognitive function

    Date:
    March 8, 2022
    Source:
    University of Georgia
    Summary:
    We all know we should exercise and eat healthy foods. But doing
    that isn't just good for maintaining your figure as you age. New
    research shows that physical activity could help protect your
    cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't have to be intense
    exercise to make an impact.



    FULL STORY ==========================================================================
    We all know we should exercise and eat healthy. But doing that isn't
    just good for maintaining your figure as you age.


    ==========================================================================
    New research from the University of Georgia shows that physical activity
    could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't
    have to be intense exercise to make an impact.

    "This finding isn't saying, 'If you're older, you need to go out there
    and start running marathons,'" said Marissa Gogniat, lead author of the
    study and a recent doctoral graduate in psychology from the Franklin
    College of Arts and Sciences. "This is saying if you get more steps,
    if you're moving around your environment a little bit more, that can be
    helpful to your brain health and keep you more independent as you age." Exercise improves brain function Published in Sport Sciences for Health,
    the study followed 51 older adults, tracking their physical activity
    and fitness measurements. The participants performed tests specifically designed to measure cognitive functioning and underwent MRIs to assess
    brain functioning.

    They also wore a device that measured the intensity of the wearer's
    physical activity, number of steps taken and distance covered. The
    researchers assessed fitness through a six-minute walking test, during
    which participants walked as quickly as they could to cover the most
    distance possible within the time limit.



    ========================================================================== "We've always been told it's good to exercise, but I think this is some evidence that exercise can actually change your brain," Gogniat said. "And
    that impacts the way you're able to function in your daily life."
    Brain networks improve with physical activity The brain is made up of a
    bunch of distinct networks. Those networks are in constant communication, sending information to each other.

    But different parts of the brain are active at different times. The
    network that is active when the body is at rest, for example, flips off
    when a person starts trying to complete a task. At that time, another
    network kicks on.

    While one of these networks is active, the other should be shut off. If
    it's not, that's a sign that a person's brain isn't functioning as well
    as it should be.



    ========================================================================== These networks are the key to being able to perform basic tasks in
    daily life, such as remembering important information and exhibiting self-control. But as people age, these tasks often become more difficult.

    This study was the first to examine how these networks interact with
    physical activity and fitness to impact how the brain functions.

    "This paper is exciting because it gives us some evidence that when
    people whose brain networks aren't functioning optimally engage in
    physical activity, we see improvement in their executive function and
    their independence," Gogniat said. "We're not saying you need to radically change your life.

    "Maybe just take the stairs on the way to work. Stand up and walk around
    a little bit more. That's where you get the most bang for your buck,
    not crazy, high-intensity exercise." The study was co-authored by
    Talia Robinson, Kharine Jean and Stephen Miller, from UGA's Department
    of Psychology.


    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Georgia. Original
    written by Leigh Beeson.

    Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Marissa A. Gogniat, Talia L. Robinson, Kharine R. Jean, L. Stephen
    Miller. Physical activity and fitness moderate the association
    between executive function and anti-correlated networks
    in the aging brain. Sport Sciences for Health, 2022; DOI:
    10.1007/s11332-021-00887-9 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220308155637.htm

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