brain plasticity: exercise helps aging brains (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, November 22, 2015, 15:20 (3290 days ago) @ David Turell

A whole journal issue devoted to helping the aging brain, noting growth of cortex thickness with activity:-http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FINS%2FINS21_10%2FS1355617715001149a.pdf&code=95758d08ddbfda9b8a9e7b504bdd5319-"This special issue highlights the results from three exercise
intervention studies, each using a different mode of exercise
training. In the study by Barcelos et al., the effects of an
exergaming intervention is reported to result in improved
performance on the Stoop task relative to a low attention
exercise control intervention. The structural integrity of the
brain, and possible neuroplasticity due to exercise, is reported
as greater preservation of white matter volume 12 months after
older adults performed a resistance exercise intervention (Best
et al.), suggesting durability of the protective effects in white
matter. In regard to gray matter, Reiter et al. report that an
increase in cardiorespiratory fitness after a walking exercise
intervention was associated with increased cortical thickness in
both healthy older adults and older adults diagnosed withMCI.
In the study by Basso and colleagues, the effects of acute
exercise in younger adults are shown to affect performance on
tasks of executive functionmediated by the prefrontal cortex, but
not hippocampus-related brain function measured by episodic
memory and object recognition tasks. Several papers report on
cross-sectional differences between physically active and
physically inactive, or physically fit versus unfit, participants.
The study by Schultz et al. reports that the negative relationship
between amyloid burden and cognition is attenuated in older
adults who possess greater cardiorespiratory fitness."-Comment: Keep on movin'