June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. I did not know this until I began researching the effect of exercise on the brain. I was drawn to this topic because of a book, SPARK, by John Ratey, which my sister gave to me.
While in physical therapy school I developed great admiration for the brain and those who treat its maladies. I was not a neuro (brain) PT, much more drawn to bones, muscles and kinesiology. However, I have always had much respect for my neuro inclined classmates and coworkers regarding the improved function they can accomplish with their patients. The brain is amazingly adaptable! Dr. Ratey's book made partners of exercise (personal favorite topic) and the brain. So, in honor of Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month here goes!
A great take-away from SPARK is evidence that exercising can result in improved test scores for students. In a high school in Naperville, Illinois they offered freshmen students, attending a reading comprehension improvement class, the opportunity to take part in a PE class prior to the start of their school day. Those who volunteered to exercise before their first classes improved their reading comprehension by 17% compared to only a 10.7% improvement in the non--exercisers. This information is supported by many research studies. Children and adults who exercises have better test scores in math and reading. Another study found that people could learn new words 20% faster if they exercised before the learning session. A group of noted researchers and education professionals looked at research focused on activity and academics. They found that being physically active improved memory, concentration and classroom behavior!
I am wondering how this happens. It all begins with neurons. Neurons are nerve cells that send messages all over the body telling different parts of the body to do, well, everything. Lungs, please breath. Heart, pump faster while I climb these stairs. Arm, throw this baseball to first base. It seems the body is producing new neurons all the time. If we don't give our newly born neurons a job to do, they die. Exercise produces proteins that help new neurons grow. Exercise also releases some other chemicals that help the new neurons survive!!
I can't talk about exercise and the brain without noting the hippocampus. Big word and, yes, part of the brain. It does many important jobs for us. One task is to take things we have just learned and file them away to memory. Such as in school, a new project on a new work team, or new card game. Learn it and remember it. Proteins that help the hippocampus work more efficiently are released into the circulation when you exercise. This can also improve concentration, mood, and energy level. All these processes help make learning something new easier! Exercise is considered a promising stimulator to help the body grow new brain cells!!!
Alzheimer's disease can affect the hippocampus. The Alzheimer's patient's neurons die off in high numbers. Hippocampus and brain size decrease and the hippocampus function declines. All those activities that the neurons tell the body to perform began to suffer. Researchers are closely looking at the effect exercise has on Alzheimer's patients. We are not sure exactly why, but exercise does seem to help improve some cognitive functions and even mood.
Some people feel like exercise is stressful. Well, it is! Centuries ago, cave men needed to eat. They had to actively (exercise) go find food. They had to use their brains (neurons creating new learning patters) to figure a way to store their food to gain the full benefit of all their hard hunting work. Thanks to grocery stores ( I have 8 within 2 miles of my home) we are not brutish hunters any longer. But there are new stressors in life. Each person can come up with a pretty lengthy list of their personal challenges in daily life. Exercise can help with this as well!! When we exercise our body releases the feel-good hormones dopamine and endorphins. These are part of a team that helps the body get rid of chemicals that make you feel stressed and anxious! Exercise helps reduce the stress of exercising! Exercise is a win/win/win!!!
As I learned all this good info about being physically active and stored it away in my brain, I calculate I have run nearly daily for 85% of my life. I figure I should be a genius! But wait! The years I ran the most distance, about 50 miles/week I was in physical therapy school and working my first few years as a new grad physical therapist. Maybe exercise did help with those very challenging academic and career-building years!