In a study from the department of Neurology by Zhengzhou University, China, researchers have found evident from rats, in which exercise may improve cognitive function and provide a brain boosting effect in enhancing memory performance and improve spatial learning capability.
In this experiment ninety-six 3 months old mice were obtain for the experiment, in which the population is randomly divide into 4 groups: Control are left on treadmill turned off, Regular Runners (RR) with specific daily running schedule at same speed, time and duration, Irregular Duration Runners (IDR) with run at same time and speed but different duration, Irregular time-of-day Runners (ITDR) run at the same speed, duration but at different time of day. Bromodeoxyuridine was used to label mitotic cells in hippocampus for change observation where 8 individuals from each group are dissected to observe for change in the structure of the hippocampus and gyrus as well as the level of stress corticosterone in 2 occasions: day 8 and day 29. The remaining population undergo a series of spacial learning and memory test from day 29 to day 33.
The result showed that regular treadmill running not only increase neurogenesis, it decreases corticosterone stress level as well as improve spatial learning and memory performance. from the study, it is concluded that regular exercise is incredibly important on improving cognitive function and fighting against neurodegerative disease.
Reference:
Li, H., Liang, A., Guan, F., Fan, R., Chi, L., & Yang, B. (2013). Regular treadmill running improves spatial learning and memory performance in young mice through increased hippocampal neurogenesis and decreased stress. Brain Research, 1531, 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.041
Comments