Exercise and the Brain

Exercise is the closest thing that humans might ever get to a magic potion or a fountain of youth. Regular physical exercise offers a multitude of benefits: building muscle is said to lower the risk of osteoporosis in women; exercise produces endorphins associated with improved mood; and exercise lowers the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, leading causes of death in the United States. What’s even more exciting is that exercise may benefit the mind as well as the body; a “rapidly growing movement in science” that suggests that exercise strengthens brainpower.

An article in Newsweek last spring covered the research of Charles Hillman, a self-professed “jock” who would prefer to leave the word “dumb” off the description of himself and other athletes. His research, at the neuroscience and kinesiology lab at the University of Illinois, offers evidence that could disprove old stereotype. Hillman found that the more active among a group of elementary-school students generally scored higher on state standardized tests than the less active kids.

The magical ingredient here, according to Hillman, is brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. It builds up in those who regularly exercise, causing the brain’s cells to “branch out, join together and communicate with each other in new ways.” This and other research has shown that physical activity is therapeutic. We now know that brain cells can grow and regenerate as we age, and exercising may encourage this process. In a study last year at Columbia University, also mentioned in Newsweek, researches found that the study participants, after three months of consistent exercise, “appeared to sprout new neurons.”

In the fall of 2007, the New York Times seconded that notion. In an op-ed piece by two neuroscience specialists, one an editor-in-chief at Nature Neuroscience and the other a professor at Princeton, encouraged readers to forget crossword puzzles and sudoku; physical exercise is a better means to brainpower than mental exercise. The pair also co-authored a recent book, “Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life.”

Many other researchers are explaining their findings in books for mainstream readers, so that their research can benefit a wider audience than expert insiders and colleagues. “SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” is one such book, describing studies that demonstrate the magic of exercise to keep the brain sharp and fight t a number of mental conditions. Health Book Guide, a useful book review blog, discusses its author John J. Ratey’s belief that exercise “is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer’s.” Far from being a fluffy self-help guide, the book bases its contentions upon several case studies, but is no dry text, either.

In an article on WebMD, Ratey actually goes so far as to suggest that exercise is more important for mental than for physical health: "Exercise is really for the brain, not the body. It affects mood, vitality, alertness, and feelings of well-being." Exercise is linked to boosts in naturally occurring chemicals like adrenalin and serotonin, which have a powerful effect on one’s mental state. Get more words of wisdom from Ratey and other researchers in this area on WebMD.

When it comes to getting "high" off exercise, running is king. Today, the New York Times, in its Personal Best column, published "Yes, Running Can Get You High," which discusses a recent study showing that, while this most high-impact and solitary sport may sometimes be tough on the knees and the attention span, it's a winner in the endorphin department.