There was a time when the scientists were of the view that the human brain is of such a nature, that it stops growing and regenerating after the person has lived up to a certain age. So as per this theory, if connections between neurons developed during the first few years of an individual’s life, only the young brain possess the quality of being plastic which is having the ability to form new connections. So if a brain would become damaged, because of this theory, there was belief that it would stop forming new connections and would no longer regenerate. Recent research, however, has proved successful in overturning this long-held theory. Research has now been successful in proving that the brain continually adjusts and reorganizes. When conducting research on brains of monkeys, the scientists discovered that neural connections in the brain are organized difference during each examination. This ability of the brain to reorganize itself and continually form new connections is what we term as neuroplasticity.
This is quite an impressive quality that the human brain undergoes and in order to make perfect use of this quality, the scientist is trying to make connections and find out if there are any environmental factors that can enhance neuroplasticity. One of the factors is ‘Exercise’ and in this paper, we are going to investigate the impact that exercise may have on neuroplasticity. We have been able to find that as little as three hours of exercise per week holds the ability to slow down even as far as altogether stifle brain atrophy which is shrinkage which starts at the age of 40. This factor could stop the brain from partially impairing regions of the brain which are responsible for memory and higher cognition.
But how does that happen, we have to find ourselves wondering. By increasing blood flow to the brain, exercise triggers biochemical changes that encourage neuroplasticity. Brain exercise subsequently baths the neurons which in turn encourages nerve growth and creates an environment for the neurons to form connections with the neighboring neurons. What type of exercise is seen to be most effective to encourage neuroplasticity? Dr. Art Kremer says that aerobics exercise between 30 and 60 minutes per day for three days of the week could show very positive impacts on brain development. Meaning, strenuous exercise is not necessarily what can help brain health rather walking has also shown affirmative impacts on the brain.
In order to investigate in greater depth the impact that exercise could have on neuroplasticity, we have discussed a few research studies and the conclusions that they provide in the following few paragraphs. In one of the attempts to explore the matter further, a research study scrutinizes the impact of exercise on neuroplasticity related growth factors in adolescents. For the purpose of this study, nine trained and seven untrained male adolescents between the ages of 14 years were selected, and they were made to perform physical activity, the trained ones more strenuous than the rest. Venous blood samples were then selected between 9 am and 10 30 am. These blood samples were then tested for Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BNDF), the most common growth factor in the central nervous system and Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). The study was able to conclude that the BNDF and the IGF-1 levels were significantly higher in the trained adolescents when compared to sedentary ones. The results very clearly present evidence that exercise training adolescents could increase the levels of neuroplasticity-related proteins in the blood.
The next research study focuses on the impact that exercise may have on the brain development during the person’s older years. In this study, the aim is to evaluate whether exercise over a short period could lead to an increase in three bodily factors being brain blood flow, cognition and in cardiovascular fitness. The study was designed in a manner where participants were provided with aerobics training sessions, 3 every week. 37 adults between the ages 57 and 75 were chosen for the study, and they were divided into two groups namely physical training and the waitlisted groups. These patients prior to the study were also screened for brain defects including dementia and symptoms of depression. The studies mostly concluded that the gains in the three aforementioned factors lasted for a period of 6 months or more. The general conclusion was that a healthy lifestyle could help limit unnecessary losses. An earlier start of a healthy lifestyle could prove to be more effective since the changes in health become pretty drastic after a person crosses the age of 50.
We have seen that the impact the exercise has on healthy brains is usually quite optimistic. How can exercise however impact brains that have suffered through one or the other defect? In order to investigate, a study was carried out to determine the impact of exercise on neuroplasticity following Multiple Sclerosis. Since recovery from such a disease is pretty challenging and even more so is the treatment, we have continuously been making efforts to find out if the brain could be restored to its former glory after it has undergone deterioration because of MS. Scientists have also been conducting research to investigate neuroplasticity in stroke patients. For this purpose data was analyzed from 10 controlled trials to observe rehabilitation in patients with MS. Although the data was not sufficient enough to draw reliable conclusions, all that is available suggests that there may be short-term rehabilitations in the activities and the participation of the patients, it is not very possible to recover from the impairment. The researchers did, however, find ‘moderate evidence’ which suggested the success of inpatient and outpatient programs that aimed at improving disability, bladder dysfunction and participation for a period lasting up to 12 months.
MS rehabilitation is very typically carried out through methods like physiotherapy, a method which aims at improving the motor function and the patient’s walking abilities. Techniques as such may also have convincing impacts on endurance and fitness and in optimistic cases, may also lead to the decline in fatigue. These rehabilitation techniques are also based on the presumptions that exercise may have very encouraging impacts on neuroplasticity and the restoration of the brain’s ability.
So we are going to make progress on rehabilitation of a damaged brain with a lot of research and with the right time but meanwhile, the fact that exercise could impact the brain positively is convincing enough to lead us to make effort so that we can optimize the way our brain functions and prevent it from losing its ability as we become old. In this regard, we could make a little bit of effort and achieve results that are far reaching. Any person could make attempts at optimizing mental abilities by making the following few efforts. One way is to become involved in new challenges. It is a good idea to engage the brain in tasks and thought processes that seem to impose a challenge. These activities could include learning of new languages, computer programs and taking an active part in one’s hobbies. Another way is to focus attention on a single task for a long time. Research has suggested that focusing on new information, ideas or objects could give us heightened neuroplasticity. Yet another exercise that could immensely help is to explore and take an interest in new and different ideas and activities.
The best and most efficient is the activity that has been the subject of our discussion all through the paper; exercise. Another phenomenon that has been very famous and being stressed more and more now is positive thinking. By doing so, a person could stimulate the areas of the brain that encourage positive thinking and even promote their further development.
Our efforts so far have made us realize that exercising could take us very close to utilizing our brain to the best of its abilities and with a little bit of effort on our parts, we could also encourage it to carry on with its recalling and cognitive abilities even after we become old. We may not have seen much success with restoring brain activity, but we can agree that we could make a difference for the better on a brain that suffers from an abnormality. Further research on the subject could teach us a lot more but even with what we know so far, exercise is a little bit of effort and a lot of advantage.
List of References
Flachenecker, P. (March 2015). Clinical Implications of Neuroplasticity- the role of rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis. Frontiers of Neurology, 1-4.
H. Pareja-Galeano, T. B.-G. (2013). The impact of exercise training on neuroplasticity-related growth factors in adolescents. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 368-371.
Hub Pages. (2015, April 30). Brain Training: Improve Your Neuroplasticity with 9 Easy Tips. Retrieved from Hub Pages: http://hubpages.com/health/Brain-Training-Improve-Your-Neuroplasticity-with-10-Easy-Tips
Liou, S. (2010, June 26). Neuroplasticity. Retrieved from Huntington's Outreach Project for Education at Stanford (HOPES): http://web.stanford.edu/group/hopes/cgi-bin/hopes_test/neuroplasticity/
Sandra B. Chapman, S. A. (2013, November 12). Shorter term aerobic exercise improves brain, cognition, and cardiovascular fitness in aging. Retrieved from Journal Frontiers: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00075/full
Sharp Brains. (2009, May). Physical exercise: why aerobic exercise enhances neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Retrieved from Sharp Brains: http://sharpbrains.com/resources/2-the-4-pillars-of-brain-maintenance/physical-exercise-why-aerobic-exercise-enhances-neurogenesis-and-neuroplasticity/
