2024-01-08 04:48:00
A study from Harvard University found that following a program of moderate physical exercise for six months, the brain regions of the participants had increased, which showed better memory and cognitive skills (Illustrative image Infobae)
Memory is the ability of human beings to learn, recall and store learned information. To memorize information, it goes through three processes: encoding or learning information, storage, through which the information is saved, and evocation, which is the ability to recover that data when we need it.
However, lately, for many reasons, including stress, multitasking, and attention problems, the ability to remember has been flawed. Even more so as the years go by.
Neuroscience provides different strategies to enhance memory, which can be applied on a daily basis. But that is not all to strengthen them. Physical activity is also required.
Science has been proving for years the power of exercise on cognitive abilities and in a recent study it even indicates what type of activity and in what period the results are seen.
Exercises such as running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, aerobic dancing or skiing help pause the effects of aging on the brain (Illustrative Image Infobae)
A study of the Harvard University found that following a program of moderate physical exercise for six months, the brain regions of the participants had increased.
This means that the exercise improved their memories and thinking skills. “There’s a lot of science behind this,” said Dr. Scott McGinnis, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.
This is very good news in terms of dementia prevention. In global terms, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that currently more than 55 million people have this neurodegenerative disease, with 60%-70% cases of Alzheimer’s.
Practicing physical activity stimulates physiological changes in the body, such as the production of growth factors, chemicals that promote the creation of new blood vessels in the brain and even the abundance, survival and good health of new brain cells.
Doing aerobic exercise stimulates the production of growth factors, chemical substances that promote the creation of new blood vessels in the brain and good health of new brain cells (Illustrative Image Infobae)
Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in those who don’t. “Even more exciting is the finding that engaging in a regular moderate-intensity exercise program for six months to a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions,” Dr. McGinnis said.
Physical activity can also support memory and thinking indirectly by improving mood and sleep, reducing stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas often cause or contribute to cognitive decline.
In other studyit was presented that the profiles of people who most frequently carry out strong physical activities such as running, swimming, cycling, playing individual tennis matches, aerobic dancing or skiing were those who had managed to pause the effects of aging on the brain. .
“We discovered protective effects in those subjects who regularly engaged in strenuous activities and exhibited high cardiorespiratory fitness, which compensates for the decline in cognition that we normally see with age,” explained Professor Chandramallika Basak, lead author, in the presentation of the results. of the study and a regular researcher of working memory.
Memory is the ability of human beings to learn, recall and store learned information. Incorporating a daily exercise routine is a key training to avoid cognitive decline
The answer to this question is still unknown because almost all research has focused on one form of exercise: walking.
“But other forms of aerobic activity that get the heart pumping are likely to produce similar benefits,” McGinnis explained.
Aerobic exercises are medium or low intensity activities that are performed for an extended period of time. These include: walking, jogging, running, rowing, cycling, skiing, etc.
Dr. Alejandro Andersson is a neurologist and medical director of the Buenos Aires Institute of Neurology, explained in a recent note in Infobae that the regular practice of running and other aerobic physical activities improve the growth and life of neurons: “They help brain plasticity and all of this, which can be measured quite immediately, is built over time,” said the doctor and added: “During exercise, endorphins are released in the brain. These chemical substances have analgesic properties, generating a feeling of euphoria and well-being, which is why they help improve mood and reduce stress.
Improvements in brain functions have also been shown with the practice of tai-chi. In this case, a study revealed improvements in various cognitive processes: planning, working memory, attention, problem solving and verbal reasoning.
Dr. McGinnis, author of the study, recommends establishing exercise as a daily habit, like taking a prescription medication (Illustrative Image Infobae)
Dr. McGinnis recommends establishing exercise as a habit, like taking a prescription medication.
Try to exercise at a moderate intensity, such as brisk walking, for 150 minutes per week. Start with a few minutes a day and increase the amount by five to 10 minutes each week until you reach the goal.
If you decide to walk, it should not be done at a slow pace, but rather a light or fast pace. Participants in this study walked briskly for one hour twice a week.
“On a scale of 0 to 10, where sitting is a 0 and the highest level of activity is a 10, moderate activity is a 5 or 6. It will cause you to breathe harder and your heart to beat faster. You will notice that you will be able to speak but that you will not be able to sing your favorite song,” they explain at the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The strengthening of memory, among other cognitive benefits, was observed six months following starting this program.
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