Posted on 12/30/2019 2:28:28 AM PST by RoosterRedux
Researchers at McMaster University who examine the impact of exercise on the brain have found that high-intensity workouts improve memory in older adults.
*snip*
Researchers suggest that intensity is critical. Seniors who exercised using short, bursts of activity saw an improvement of up to 30% in memory performance while participants who worked out moderately saw no improvement, on average.
*snip*
For the study, researchers recruited dozens of sedentary but otherwise healthy older adults between the ages of 60 and 88 who were monitored over a 12-week period and participated in three sessions per week. Some performed high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) while a separate control group engaged in stretching only.
The HIIT protocol included four sets of high-intensity exercise on a treadmill for four minutes, followed by a recovery period. The MICT protocol included one set of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for nearly 50 minutes.
To capture exercise-related improvements in memory, researchers used a specific test that taps into the function of the newborn neurons generated by exercise which are more active than mature ones and are ideal for forming new connections and creating new memories.
They found older adults in the HIIT group had a substantial increase in high-interference memory compared to the MICT or control groups. This form of memory allows us to distinguish one car from another of the same make or model, for example.
Researchers also found that improvements in fitness levels directly correlated with improvement in memory performance.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
I put this in “News/Activism” instead of “Chat” because, given the importance of this study’s findings to older Freepers, it might get wider readership in “News.”
Senior lifestyle choices are greater than ever.
I’ve never heard of “newborn neurons generated by exercise”. I wonder what they mean.
You need 3 “quickies” per week to stay mentally healthy.
bump!
In my case, I have noticed that my brain behaves more like it did when I was a child--both good and bad.;-)
I was a hyperactive child and had what I would call a hyperactive brain in that I had to work hard to stay focused. Once I did learn to focus, there were benefits that came from utilizing what was both a weakness and a potential strength. Long story, short, I noticed that my brain is once again mildly hyperactive.
Plus, I noticed significant improvement in memory and I was already a heavy exerciser.
As an aside, my HIIT consists of pushing almost to exhaustion in the intensity portions of my program. I have done Crossfit (stopped that recently due to back problems that cropped up), I do a HIIT classes at my local Wellness Center (4 times a week), and a couple of times a week I do a HIIT routine in which I do a rotation through my gym's rower, ski-erg, and Schwin Airdyne bike (usually 3-6 rounds which consist of 10-20 calories--1+ or 2+ minutes respectively--at each machine).
Over the past 20 years, researchers have begun to get at the root of these benefits, with studies pointing to increases in the volume of the hippocampus, development of new neurons, and infiltration of blood vessels into the brain.
https://www.the-scientist.com/features/this-is-your-brain-on-exercise-64934
I would suggest ignoring those details and just focusing on the results for your particular brain.
Link Title is How Exercise Reprograms the Brain
Aerobic ATP production in the mitochondria is 7 times more efficient than anaerobic ATP production in the cytoplasm.
Increased oxygen from exercise is a major factor in the Krebs cycle ATP production in the mitochondria.
Exercise increases O2.
When ketones are utilized as fuel in the mitochondria the production of carbon dioxide is decreased further enhancing O2 circulation and utilization in the body. (Krebs Cycle or Citric Acid Cycle Biochemistry)
Thanks for that. Vy interesting.
Does getting up to change channels count as an “exercise burst?”
If you have Medicare Advantage check out the Silver Sneakers program for seniors. It’s not a high intensity program, but focuses on fitness, balance, eye-hand co-ordination—gets you moving and keeps your mind alert. Plus it’s free.
https://tools.silversneakers.com
Years ago there were many studies showing the benefits of imagined sports training vs actual sports training.
I would like to combine these two studies to determine if “imagined” running functions as an exercise burst to increase brain function.
I am a 64 year old female fitness trainer and I approve this message!
Getting up and walking to the door to let your dog in or out twenty times a day should count as well.
I’m taking a mushroom extract that increases nerve growth factor. Maybe high-intensity exercise does the same.
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