By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Forgetful? Go Jogging
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Forgetful? Go Jogging
Wellness

Forgetful? Go Jogging

Dov Michaeli
Last updated: June 12, 2012 10:12 am
Dov Michaeli
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

 

 

 

 

More Read

Image
How Budget Cuts are Affecting Mental Health Care
Business Opportunity: Safety Packaging for Home Chemo
Eating Well After Stroke: Tips for Dealing With Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia) and Post-Stroke Eating Problems
Integrative Medicine Part V – Busting Stress
What Doctors Should Know About Symptoms & Dangers of Concussions

A recent column in the Well section of the New York Times highlights a study in the journal Neuroscience published by DJ Bucci and his  colleagues at the department of psychology and neuroscience, Dartmouth University. Although the study deals with the effect of exercise on brain mechanisms of memory, it has much wider implications.

The Study

As reported  by Gretchen Reynolds of the Times, “the researchers recruited 54 adults, ages 18 to 36, from the college and the surrounding community. The volunteers were healthy but generally sedentary; none exercised regularly.

During their first visit to the lab, they completed a series of questionnaires about their health and mood, including how anxious they were both at that moment and in general.

They also gave blood for genetic testing. Earlier studies had shown that exercise can increase levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor, or BDNF, which is thought to play a role in the positive effects of exercise on thinking. But some people produce less BDNF after exercise than others because they have a variation in the gene that controls BDNF production, though it’s unknown whether they derive less cognitive benefit from exercise as a result. So the scientists wanted to determine each volunteer’s BDNF gene status.

Then the group submitted to a memory test, consisting of pictures of objects flashed across a computer screen. Soon after, another set of pictures appeared, and the volunteers were asked to note, with keystrokes, whether they’d seen each particular image before.

after completing the tests, the volunteers were randomly assigned to exercise or not during the next four weeks. Half began a supervised program of walking or jogging four times a week for at least 30 minutes. The other half remained sedentary.

After a month, the volunteers returned to the lab for retesting. But first, some exercised. Half of the exercising group walked or jogged before the testing; half did not. Ditto for the sedentary group: Half exercised that day for the first time since the start of the study; the rest did not.

The earlier tests of memory and mood were repeated”.

The results showed that those who exercised the whole month and the morning before the final test did by far the best on the memory and mood tests. Those who exercised the whole month but not the morning before the test did not do as well, but much better than the sedentary group. What that implies is that regular exercise has a cumulative effect on memory and mood.

BDNF in health and disease

Why didn’t all the exercising volunteers show the same degree of memory improvement? Turns out that about 30% of the population has a variant of the BDNF gene that reduces its activity in memory acquisition.

There is another fascinating aspect to the study. The memory tests involved visual memory, which is controlled by an area in the brain called the perirhinal cortex  (PRC). This particular area is located in the temporal lobe, adjacent to the hippocampus.

Now, the hippocampus is responsible for remembering facts. For instance, the information where you left you cellphone is stored there. But recognition of the cellphone as the object it is, is the function of the PRC.  All these functions. object recognition and memory of facts are mediated by the all-important protein BDNF.

Now, let’s not forget the mood part of the experiment. The exercisers who had the non-variant BDNF experience mood elevation. The ones who had the variant gene did not. We can understand noq aomw people claim that exercise does nothing for them, or worse. Interestingly, other studies showed atrophy of the hippocampus and the PRC in patients with chronic depression. Antidepressants, elecroconvulsive therapy, and exercise, on the other hand, cause reversal of atrophy of the hippocampus and the PRC, and an increase in BDNF secretion.

Equally as interesting, the PRC recieves neural inputs not only from the visual cortex, but also from the auditory and olfactory areas. Which raises the possibility that disruption of the proper functioning of the PRC, possibly due to BDNF malfunction, could be the seat of the visual and  auditory hallucinations of schizpohrenia.

Pretty heady stuff.

As Dr. Bucci stated, “the current data strongly suggests that people should be physically active if they wish to enjoy a sturdy, unporous memory in the long term”. And I might add, it may also suggest physical activity as an additional treatment for psychiatric disease.

I run therefore I remember

 

 

TAGGED:fitnessjoggingmemory
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Why Primary Care Physicians Are the Next Phase in CCRC Care

August 10, 2016

You’re the Boss: Manage Your Disease

August 11, 2015

When Disability Turns into a Source of Energy

September 3, 2015
shift towards healthy living
Wellness

Richard Liu Positions JD Health to Support China’s Move Toward Wellness

March 23, 2021
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?