Physical Exercise and the Resilience of the Brain to Aging

Being active and fit slows the impact of aging on the brain. A diverse set of mechanisms are involved, and, as is often the case in these matters, it is far from clear as to which of these mechanisms are the most important. Fitness helps to maintain the vascular system in a better shape, keep levels of chronic inflammation lower, causes mild stress that makes cells throughout the body undertake greater maintenance activities, ensures that the gut microbiome ages more slowly, better maintaining the production of metabolites that affect neurogenesis. And so forth - the list goes on. Nowadays, we are constantly bombarded by media, physicians, and other health professionals to engage in physical/sports activities to reduce physical/psychological stress, improve our health, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The literature has clearly demonstrated aerobic fitness as one of the best indicators of resilience. This is supported by evidence from a number of studies showing that physical fitness confers physiological and psychological benefits and protects against the development of stress-related disorders, as well as improves cognition and motor function that are a consequence of aging and of neurological disorders. Although we have learned about neurobiological mechanisms of physical fitness from the neuroplasticity and neuroprotection that confer resilience, these effects and mechanisms are diverse and complex and need to be further explored. However, we can su...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs