Neuroscience
An excellent op-ed piece in today's New York Times about the value of exercise - of the physical variety - in mental gymnastics. A Risser suggestion to supplement the intent of the opinion writers: get out there and walk around, but take a camera with you - not only do you get the physical exercise, but you challenge yourself cognitively (and may well get some framable results!)
Exercise on the Brain
By SANDRA AAMODT and SAM WANG
Published: November 8, 2007
[snip]
How might exercise help the brain? In people, fitness training slows the age-related shrinkage of the frontal cortex, which is important for executive function. In rodents, exercise increases the number of capillaries in the brain, which should improve blood flow, and therefore the availability of energy, to neurons. Exercise may also help the brain by improving cardiovascular health, preventing heart attacks and strokes that can cause brain damage. Finally, exercise causes the release of growth factors, proteins that increase the number of connections between neurons, and the birth of neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory. Any of these effects might improve cognitive performance, though it’s not known which ones are most important.
[snip]
[ ... Read the full piece ... ]
- Can Physical Exercise Really Improve Reading Ability?
Bouncing on a gym ball, spinning round, and other physical exercises can help improve the reading ability of children at risk of dyslexia. That's according to David Reynolds and Roderick Nicolson, whose latest claims have attracted robust criticism...
- Why Exercise Helps Depression
Many studies have suggested exercise can help alleviate depression. Lynette Craft (Michigan State University) wanted to find out the psychological mechanisms that might underlie this benefit. Nine women with moderate depression underwent a nine-week exercise...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Preventing Cognitive Decline
Exergaming and older adult cognition a cluster randomized clinical trial Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):109-19 Anderson-Hanley C, Arciero PJ, Brickman AM, Nimon JP, Okuma N, Westen SC, Merz ME, Pence BD, Woods JA, Kramer AF, Zimmerman EA Abstract BACKGROUND:...
- Cycling And The Brain
More broadly: exercise in the brain, with an emphasis on cycling. There's a neat article in the Nov. 2009 issue of Bicycling about the effects of cycling on ADHD. The focus is on a first-year college student named Adam Leibovitz, in the lead article...
- Ever Thought About Sport & Exercise Psychology? Here's A First Look!
Sport and Exercise Psychology Are you interested in a career involving sport and exercise? Are you fascinated by the science of psychology? Do you enjoy helping people reach their peak potential? Then consider a career in Sport Psychology What is Sport...
Neuroscience
The Game Brain
An excellent op-ed piece in today's New York Times about the value of exercise - of the physical variety - in mental gymnastics. A Risser suggestion to supplement the intent of the opinion writers: get out there and walk around, but take a camera with you - not only do you get the physical exercise, but you challenge yourself cognitively (and may well get some framable results!)
Exercise on the Brain
By SANDRA AAMODT and SAM WANG
Published: November 8, 2007
[snip]
How might exercise help the brain? In people, fitness training slows the age-related shrinkage of the frontal cortex, which is important for executive function. In rodents, exercise increases the number of capillaries in the brain, which should improve blood flow, and therefore the availability of energy, to neurons. Exercise may also help the brain by improving cardiovascular health, preventing heart attacks and strokes that can cause brain damage. Finally, exercise causes the release of growth factors, proteins that increase the number of connections between neurons, and the birth of neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory. Any of these effects might improve cognitive performance, though it’s not known which ones are most important.
[snip]
[ ... Read the full piece ... ]
- Can Physical Exercise Really Improve Reading Ability?
Bouncing on a gym ball, spinning round, and other physical exercises can help improve the reading ability of children at risk of dyslexia. That's according to David Reynolds and Roderick Nicolson, whose latest claims have attracted robust criticism...
- Why Exercise Helps Depression
Many studies have suggested exercise can help alleviate depression. Lynette Craft (Michigan State University) wanted to find out the psychological mechanisms that might underlie this benefit. Nine women with moderate depression underwent a nine-week exercise...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Preventing Cognitive Decline
Exergaming and older adult cognition a cluster randomized clinical trial Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):109-19 Anderson-Hanley C, Arciero PJ, Brickman AM, Nimon JP, Okuma N, Westen SC, Merz ME, Pence BD, Woods JA, Kramer AF, Zimmerman EA Abstract BACKGROUND:...
- Cycling And The Brain
More broadly: exercise in the brain, with an emphasis on cycling. There's a neat article in the Nov. 2009 issue of Bicycling about the effects of cycling on ADHD. The focus is on a first-year college student named Adam Leibovitz, in the lead article...
- Ever Thought About Sport & Exercise Psychology? Here's A First Look!
Sport and Exercise Psychology Are you interested in a career involving sport and exercise? Are you fascinated by the science of psychology? Do you enjoy helping people reach their peak potential? Then consider a career in Sport Psychology What is Sport...