• Neural Plasticity • Neurogenesis. • Neurotrophic Factors


Neural Plasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. It allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their ac- tivities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment. Basically, the brain is constantly reshaping itself based on the lifestyle inputs we give it. Exercise, learning new things, sleep, stress and nutrition all help mold and shape the brain throughout life.


Neurogenesis is the process by which neurons are generated from neural stem cells and progenitor cells (both of which are "parent cells"). It is basically the forma- tion of new nerve cells.


Neurotrophic Factors are a family of biomolecules that support the growth, survival, and differentiation of developing and mature neurons. There are many types of neurotrophic factors, with more cer- tainly being discovered in the future. The main ones shown to optimize brain health in response to exercise are BDNF (Brain- Derived Neurotrophic Factor), Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF).


BDNF - acts on neurons throughout


the body, especially the brain areas in- volved with learning and memory, like the hippocampus. It promotes neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Exercise significantly increases the amount of BDNF in the body. IGF-1 - mediates many of the effects


of growth hormone and helps control tis- sue growth and remodeling. Exercise promotes increased levels of IGF-1. The amount of IGF-1 released into blood dur- ing exercise is positively correlated with exercise intensity and duration. Like BDNF, it promotes neural plasticity and neurogenesis. It also promotes muscle growth and strength. VEGF - as it's name implies, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors, promotes the growth of new blood blood vessels. It also plays an important in neural plasticity and neurogenesis. Hypoxia, or inadequate cellular oxygen supply, is the main stimu- lus for VEGF secretion, and exercise cre- ates a relative hypoxic environment in the body. VEGF exerts a neuroprotective effect


in hypoxic neurons. Just exercising your muscles causes a


surge in these brain enhancing biomole- cules (BDNF, IGF-1 and VEGF). This hor- monal soup helps to create a better brain and a better body.


Exercise and Learning Since exercise of any kind appears to


show prevention of cognitive decline, a good question to ask is whether it improves learning capacity. A number of studies have answered this question. A study in the journal Neurobioloy of Learning and Memory looked to see how quickly running improves learning ability. Learning performance was assessed im- mediately after high impact sprints, jog- ging, or a period of rest in 27 healthy subjects in a randomized cross-over de- sign. The study found vocabulary learning was 20% faster after intense physical ex- ercise (sprints) as compared to the other two groups. Sprinting elicited the strongest increases in BDNF and catecholamine levels. More sustained BDNF levels during learning after sprinting were related to better short-term learning success, where- as absolute dopamine and epinephrine levels were related to better intermediate (dopamine) and long-term (epinephrine) retentions of the novel vocabulary. Thus, BDNF and two of the catecholamines seem to be mediators by which physical exercise improves learning. Having stu- dents sprint in place immediately before exams may be really helpful for getting better grades. Exercise during pregnancy appears to


confer tremendous benefit to offspring. Specifically improving object memory recall. This was an animal study and the exercise form used was running. It is amaz- ing that even a pregnant mother that exer- cises has the potential to make her baby have a better brain.


Aerobic Exercise and Brain Optimization Aerobic exercise training has plenty of evidence showing that it attenuates brain atrophy and cognitive decline, with positive effects observed for motor func- tion, cognitive speed, delayed memory functions and auditory and visual atten- tion. As cardiorespiratory fitness improves so does that brain function. Twelve weeks of aerobic exercise


training performed 3 times a week for 30 minutes on a treadmill appears to show


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