Neuro Athletes,

This is a solo episode, I will be talking to you about the benefits of exercise on brain health. 

The benefits of exercise and physical fitness on mental health and cognitive performance are well documented through both clinical studies with human and in rodents. There’s rich literature dating back at least 70 years from animal studies documenting the profound structural changes in the brain produced by complex or enriched environments.

These structural changes include, synaptic size and density, size and number of neurons in the hippocampus and vascular density. 

Also, Animal studies have also demonstrate d that exercise produces very specific changes in the brain that are distinct from those produced by learning or novel experiences. 

Here is a short clip I posted to Instagram from the episode…

As we age, our brain ages too. It’s the natural brain ageing process that we all go through. There are 3 key areas in which our brain will change as it ages. 

1. Cognitive changes

2. Structural changes

3. Neuronal changes

This conversation is a fascinating one, and there’s a lot to learn in this episode. You can find this episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts and YouTube. For more insights and reflections, visit The Neuro Experience Podcast website.

Enjoy, friends.

- Louisa