Brain Research - LTCY 199 - Summer 2009 - Exercise Boosts Brain Power

1. Exercise Boosts Brain Power Mary Grace Reed

2. Benefits of exercise Weight control Energy improvement Decrease risks for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke Enhances learning and prevents memory loss

3. People who exercise have half the risk of getting Alzheimer's Disease or any other type of Dementia.

4. Exercising improves long term memory, reasoning, problem solving, abstract thinking, and more.

5. Aerobic exercise has been shown to be more beneficial than toning exercise such as weight lifting.

6. definitions Neuron – nerve cell Neurogenesis – growth of new neurons in the brain Hippocampas – part of brain that controls memory and learning BDNF – brain derived neurotrophic factor A protein which builds and nourishes nerve cells neuron

7. Exercise helps move more oxygen to the brain. Exercise has been shown to increase levels of BDNF. BDNF increases the number of nerve cells in the hippocampas. Oxygen

8. Experiment: young & old mice 2 groups – exercise & no exercise exercise group walked on wheel for 1 month Morris water maze timed on how fast 2 groups could navigate maze brains analyzed Journal of Neuroscience, September 21, 2005

11. Importance? Elderly

12. sources Healy, J (1990). Endangered Minds. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. van Praag, H (2005).Exercise Enhances Learning and Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Aged Mice. The Journal of Neuroscience, 25(38), 8680-8685. Desaulniers, M (2008). How Exercise Improves Learning. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from Suite101.com Web site: http://mindbodyfitness.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_exercise_benefits_the_brain

13. Sources cont. McNamara, M (2007). Boosting Brain Power May Be Steps Away. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from CBSNEWS Web site: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/eveningnews/main2368898.shtml