The brain needs to be walked daily

Regular walks increase the brain

Kirill Stasevich, Compulenta

Over time, the brain does its job worse and even begins to shrink in size, which is especially noticeable in age-related dementia. However, this process can be slowed down and even reversed, and sophisticated biomedical technologies are not needed for this: it is enough to walk regularly.

In the experiment of Kirk Erickson from the University of Pittsburgh (USA) and his colleagues, more than a hundred people aged 60 to 80 years participated; none of them worked hard during their lives in physical exercises. One half was asked to spend 30 to 45 minutes walking three times a week, while the other group spent this time on stretching exercises.

Walking helps protect the brain from age-related changes. (Photo by Jutta Klee.)

A year later, the researchers noticed that some areas of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, responsible for planning and memory, had slightly increased in the subjects' brains. The increase is small, only 2-3%, but it was enough to block the age-related "shrinking" of the brain.

In addition, those who walked, this effect was more pronounced. The walkers showed good results in tests for spatial memory, that is, cognitive functions also improved.

The results of the study were reported at the annual congress of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Scientists do not yet know whether such an effect of walking is limited to these areas of the brain, how long this effect lasts and whether it needs to be maintained. However, it is already clear that with age the brain does not lose all flexibility, and it can be influenced for its own good. Moreover, in this particular case, as we can see, you do not need to give your best on the simulator at all: systematic walks are enough.

By the way, perhaps this "brain gain" is due to an improvement in blood supply due to exercise, as we reported not so long ago.

Prepared by The Guardian: Taking your brain for a walk: the secret to delaying dementia.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru 19.02.2014