At birth and throughout childhood, the human brain takes in new information and processes it continuously. As a person ages, there is not quite the explosion of new information and skills to learn. However, the human brain can continue to learn and grow by exercising it both mentally and physically. Even in old age, the brain can grow new neurons. Both mental stimulation and physical activity protect against age-related cognitive decline. With this 3-lb. organ, it is "use it or lose it," with the most cognitive decline coming on the heels of inactivity.
The Body-Mind Connection
You may be familiar with the term "body-mind connection" as it pertains to healing or stress management, but the study of brain chemistry shows that the brain is intimately connected with the body as well. Neurons connect with other neurons, but they also connect with skeletal muscles at a structure called the neuromuscular junction. There, the brain uses its primary neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which is in charge of memory and attention, to communicate with the muscles. Another neurotransmitter, dopamine, helps with the regulation of fine motor movement. Many body workers can attest to the body-mind connection. They have found deep muscle massage can release powerful, long-held memories.
Improving the Mind
By adulthood your brain has created millions of neural pathways to help you process information quickly, solve your usual problems and carry out familiar tasks with little effort. If you stick with these well-worn paths, however, your brain won't get the stimulation it needs to keep growing and developing. It needs a little shaking up from time to time. The best way to exercise your brain is to break from your routine and create new pathways. Many activities will work to do this as long as they meet three criteria: they're new, challenging and fun. The activity needs to be something unfamiliar and definitely out of your comfort zone. If it takes mental effort and expands your knowledge, such as learning a new language, taking up a musical instrument or sport or tackling a challenging crossword, it qualifies. The more interesting and fun the activity is, the more likely you'll continue doing it. It should be challenging, but not difficult to the point that you dread doing it.
Exercise and the Brain
A study by Dr. Laura Baker at the University of Washington School of Medicine showed that six months of aerobic exercise improved the cognitive functions of attention, speed of processing information and the ability to switch from one task to another quickly in aging people of 70 years old with mild memory problems. Dr. Arthur Kramer, director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, notes that aerobic exercise appears to benefit the part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in memory, especially association memory, such as remembering someone's face or name. Aerobic exercise also releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that create a heightened sense of well-being.
Avoiding Decline
According to the Franklin Institute's website, physical exercise protects the brain, possibly to the point of preventing Alzheimer's disease. Based on health and exercise data from nearly 5,000 people over 65 years old, those who exercised were less likely to lose their mental abilities or develop dementia. A five-year study at the Laval University in Sainte-Foy in Quebec found that the more someone exercises, the greater the protective effects, especially in women. Inactive people were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's when compared to those who exercised vigorously at least three times per week. However, even those who exercised lightly or moderately lessened their risk of Alzheimer's.
