Researchers from Atlantic University in Florida and the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico studied the long-term effects of running on the brains of mice. They found that middle-aged rodents with access to an exercise bike preserved the connections of ancient neurons associated with memory better.
This text is a translation of A condition From CTV News.
“Our study provides information Carmen Vivar, co-author of the study and researcher at the National Polytechnic Institute, said in a press release.
The researchers focused on neurons formed during early adulthood that were connected to the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with learning and memory. The hippocampus and connections to adjacent parts of the brain are among the first structures affected by age-related cognitive decline, which can be partially delayed or prevented by exercise, according to the study.
“Long-term running can improve our ability to separate patterns, that is, our ability to distinguish between very similar events and stimuli, a behavior closely associated with adult neurogenesis, and is “the first to show deficits indicative of age,” Vivar said.
The study also showed that long-term running can increase the number of newly formed neurons in adults, which are important signaling cells in our brains and bodies.
He explained, “Long-term exercise greatly benefits the aging brain and may prevent age-related decline in memory functions by increasing survival and altering the network of newly formed neurons in adults born during early childhood.” Henriette van Praag, co-author of the study and associate professor of biomedical sciences at Atlantic University in Florida, per the news release.
The study was published in the academic journal this month in euros.
