Study
is first to confirm link between
exercise and changes in brain
A new study, from the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says three areas of the brain that are
adversely affected by aging stay in better shape when a person keeps
their body physically fit.
This is the first study to show
anatomical differences in white and gray brain matter between older
people who are physically fit and those who are less fit. The study
included 55 people over the age of 55. The researchers used
high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to assess the brains of the
study participants.
The researchers focused on three
areas -- the frontal, temporal and parietal cortexes. The study found
distinct differences between the physically fit people and the less
fit people. Those differences were especially apparent in two types of
brain tissue -- white and gray matter.
The gray matter in your brain
consists of thin layers of cell bodies such as neurons. Gray matter
also includes support cells that are important in learning and memory.
White brain matter is the myelin sheath that contains nerve fibers
that transmit signals throughout the brain. As you age, these white
and gray matter tissues shrink in a pattern that closely matches
declines in cognitive performance. To learn more about this research,
click on the link below.
SOURCE:
Journal of Gerontology
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Forgetfulness
can run in the family
Forgetfulness may run in the family,
according to new research showing that a variation of a gene involved in
memory is linked to poorer recall of past events.
"This study identifies and characterizes fairly in depth one gene
that comes in two forms in the human population and...impacts on how
well you remember things," said study author Dr. Daniel Weinberger,
a neuroscientist and chief of the clinical brain disorders branch at the
National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
The gene examined in the new study is known as BDNF, because it makes
brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that plays a role in memory
formation, Weinberger explained. To learn more about this research,
click on the link below.
SOURCE:
Cell 2003;112:257-269.
RESOURCE: Brain Connections: Your Source Guide to Information on Brain
Diseases and Disorders (PDF)
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You
really are only as old as you feel
Expressions like "You're only as
old as you feel" may be clichés, but according to a new study
they can have a positive effect on a person's mental and physical
well-being.
Researchers from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston found that
so-called "memorable messages" about aging can persuade
people to change their lifestyle as they grow older.
Most messages the study participants remembered put a positive spin on
the aging process. Thirty-four percent said they had either changed
their lives or changed their relationships with others as a result.
About 11% had resolved to enjoy life more, and 7% had taken up
exercise and were eating healthily.
Describing the impact of memorable messages, one participant wrote:
"The message had a tremendous effect on my thoughts of old age. I
now see it as an award for leading a decent life." To learn more
about this study, click on the link below.
SOURCE: Journal of Communication 2002;52:681-69