A Message from Dr. Cooper
Exercise Is Good for Your Brain
I’ve been involved in the science of exercise for over 40 years. The number one reason people give as to why they exercise is not that they feel it will prolong their life, or that it will prevent disease, but that it makes them feel better. We have several explanations as to why that is the case but now, for the first time, we have scientific proof that exercise actually causes changes in the brain. A study published in the February 2003 issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, shows that three key areas of the brain adversely affected by aging show the greatest benefit when a person stays physically fit. A group of researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studied brain scans of 55 volunteers over the age of 55. Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, the scientists found anatomical differences in gray and white matter between physically fit and less fit subjects. The gray matter is the part of the brain involved in learning and memory, while the white matter helps to transmit signals throughout the brain. Usually, after the age of 30, these tissues begin to shrink and become less dense in a pattern closely matched by declines in cognitive performance.
The study found an inverse relationship between fitness and brain density/shrinkage. In other words, the better shape you are in, the denser, bigger, and more efficient your brain. The differences were found in the frontal, temporal and parietal cortexes of the brain.
Another study, conducted by this same group which will be published in the March 2003 issue of Psychological Science, suggests that older women, especially those on hormone-replacement therapy, benefit more cognitively than men from increased physical activity as they age.
This study also found:
- Exercise programs involving both aerobic exercise and strength training produced better results on cognitive abilities than either one alone.
- Older adults benefit more than younger adults do, possibly because older adults have more to gain as age-related declines become more prevalent.
- More than 30 minutes of exercise per session produces the greatest benefit.
So there you go, just one more reason for you to get off the couch and walk the dog — even if you don’t have one!
Stay well and be active,
Ken Cooper, M.D.
Recognized through his writings and research as the leader of the international physical fitness movement, Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., has been credited with motivating more people to exercise in pursuit of good health than any other person.
From the time of his first book, Aerobics (1968), Dr. Cooper has advocated revolutionizing the field of medicine away from disease treatment to disease prevention through aerobic exercise. Dr. Cooper has educated millions of people through his 18 books, which have been translated into 41 languages and Braille. His message is direct: "It is easier to maintain good health through proper exercise, diet and emotional balance than it is to regain it once it is lost.
To learn more about Dr. Cooper and The Cooper Aerobics Center, click here: Biographies.