A recent study showed that regular exercise can protect against memory loss and cognitive decline. Running, in particular, has a significant impact on the brain as you age.
With age, many people experience cognitive decline, as the brain structures responsible for learning and memory are initially destroyed. These structures are found in the so-called hippocampus region of the brain.
And a new study conducted by the American “Florida Atlantic University” (FAU) in cooperation with the Mexican research institute showed that regular exercise can protect against memory loss and cognitive decline. Especially, running works wonders for the middle-aged brain. The US-Mexican study examined the brains of rats while running. Specifically, the researchers observed how running affected the neural network in the hippocampus.
Running enhances spatial memory
To find out, the scientists used a new indicator based on the rabies virus. In this way, new neurons in adult rodents can be labeled, and their changes observed over time. After about six months of classifying the neurons, the researchers analyzed how they were integrated into the neural network. Those neurons that formed in early adulthood in mice have been shown to be involved in the long-term hippocampus, where they contribute to the maintenance of memory into old age.