Did you know that as you age, regular physical exercise can convey a protective effect against cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease? It's true. In fact, regular exercise delays brain aging and preserves memory and cognition. Studies have shown that regular exercise enhances memory and reduces risk of dementia by about 38%.

How does exercise protect the brain?

When you engage in moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise, your heart rate increases, supplying more blood flow to your brain. This increase in heart rate is also accompanied by an increase in breathing. You breathe harder and faster. As a result, more oxygen is supplied into your blood stream and more oxygen reaches your brain. This leads to neurogenesis, the production of neurons. In addition:

No. 1: Exercise increases neuroplasticity — Neuroplasticity is the process and capacity for the neuronal network to undergo structural and functional changes as it adapts to stimuli, such as exercise. Studies have shown that endurance exercise training increases brain volume of different regions. Long-term endurance exercise can significantly delay the loss of neuronal volume in the hippocampus area, which underlies some cognitive disorders associated with aging, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Exercise also enhances dendrite (the short extension of a nerve cell) length and complexity. These changes in brain volume and dendrites are thought to contribute to exercise-induced improvements in motor skills, memory and cognitive function. They may also offer protection from neurodegenerative diseases.

No. 2: Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — BDNF is a promoter of several aspects of brain development in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. An increase in BDNF is associated with an increase in hippocampal size and an improvement in spatial memory and learning. BDNF levels are increased twofold to threefold after exercise when compared to resting conditions. Several studies have suggested that exercise-induced BDNF is significant in promoting neurogenesis and correlates positively with improvements in cognitive function in humans.

No. 3: Exercise increases angiogenesis — On the cellular level, exercise has been shown to reshape cellular pathways that promote angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels) and vasculature function in the brain. One interesting study showed that blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery in individuals who engaged in vigorous aerobic exercise was about 17% greater than in their sedentary counterparts across age groups.

What type of exercise boosts memory? — All types of exercise (aerobic, resistance, mind-body, martial arts, etc.) are beneficial for health and well-being. Aerobic exercise (walking, running, skating, swimming, biking, etc.) appears to be best at preserving brain volume and memory as you age, likely due to enhancement of BDNF, particularly in women. Resistance exercises are also effective in preserving cognitive function, although the supporting evidence is more limited than for aerobic exercise.

According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, each week adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity. While 150 minutes of physical activity each week may sound like a lot, it can be accomplished in smaller segments, such as 30 minutes per day, five days per week. Isn't that amount of weekly physical activity worth the effort, if only for the potential cognitive benefits?

To find out more about Julie Rosenberg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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