4 Ways to Exercise Your Brain as You Age

The human brain remains a mystery, but there is one thing scientists are sure of. That is, this complicated organ can still function well while years. And there are ways to improve and shape agility and brain function.

The brain shrinks with age, but cranial nerve activation is more important

Have you noticed that people of the same age have different memory abilities?

In addition to memories, a person’s ability to think, reason, communicate, and solve problems is also related to cognition. Cognitive ability does not necessarily decline with age.

A healthy human brain contains tens of billions of specialized neural cells that process and transmit information through electrical and chemical signals. [1]

Unlike many cells in the body that are relatively short-lived, neurons can last for an extended period of time through self-maintenance and repair. During this process, neurons continually adjust or reshape their synaptic connections, the connections through which neurons communicate with other neurons and receive stimuli. Even adult brains can generate new neurons (neurogenesis).

Remodeling of synaptic connections and neurogenesis is important for memory, learning, and possibly brain repair.

A healthy brain shrinks to some degree during the aging process, but does not lose a large number of neurons. However, in Alzheimer’s patients, most of their neurons are damaged and eventually stop working, thus experiencing cognitive impairment.

Pei-Ning Wang, professor of neurology at Yangming University and director of the Center for Dementia Research and Treatment at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan, pointed out a myth about the brain: the bigger the brain, the better. it is memory and cognition. He said that neural activity and neural connections are more important than brain size.

As we age, the brain also experiences normal aging.

The human brain shrinks every year after the ages of 30 and 40, and shrinks at a rate of about 5 percent every decade after the age of 40. Between the ages of 60 and 70, its rate of shrinkage will increase even further. [2][3]

Pei-Ning Wang explained that the normal reduction in brain volume has no correlation with human intelligence. What determines cognitive ability is whether the neurons are active and whether the connections between the neurons are good.

A brain can have a large number of neurons, but if the neurons rarely work and are not well connected to each other, the memory and agility of the brain would not be good. Conversely, when the neurons in the brain are highly active and well connected, the brain can function well despite its age.

Also, the brain shrinks faster if neural activity is low and neural connections deteriorate, similar to a 40-year-old woman with 70-year-old-looking wrinkles on her face.

Factors that cause the brain to degenerate faster

Accelerated aging of the brain can be caused by some diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Poor blood circulation can lead to vascular sclerosis and brain inflammation and, in turn, damage the cerebrovascular system. Smoking and drinking can also cause chronic diseases and damage the brain.

Depression, a common mental disorder, can also accelerate brain degeneration if left untreated.

Car accidents, boxing, football, and other sports that cause head injuries can damage nerve cells in the brain and loosen neural connections.

Not using the brain regularly, living a sedentary lifestyle, and doing little physical activity can reduce brain function. Doing little exercise will affect blood circulation and blood oxygenation, which is detrimental to neuronal regeneration. Pei-Ning Wang said that exercise itself can stimulate the secretion of nerve growth hormone and increase the speed and amount of nerve regeneration.

Unhealthy habits can also affect brain health.

“One of the worst (brain-damaging) habits is watching TV,” said Joan Zeng, a researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

According to three 2021 studies, moderate to heavy TV viewing in midlife is associated with less gray matter volume later in life. Gray matter contains most of the neuronal cell bodies. [4]

After years of follow-up, the researchers found that middle-aged adults who watched moderately or regularly TV had a 6.9 percent decline in cognitive function over 15 years, compared with those who never or rarely watched. TV.

Ryan Dougherty, a postdoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who led the study, noted that an average increase in television viewing time by one hour was associated with a decrease in gray matter volume of about 0.5 percent.

While these studies concluded that regular TV viewing was not significantly associated with an increased risk of dementia, they also found that exercise did not appear to alter the negative effects of regular TV viewing on cognitive brain function.

Why is watching TV so bad for the brain? There are two reasons: watching TV makes people sedentary, and the brain does not need to think too much. Even if you have healthy habits and don’t smoke or drink alcohol, your brain will gradually get worse while watching TV.

Joan Zeng said that when people watch television, their brains are passively fed messages. The elderly should turn off the television and go outside to chat with others. This is one of the easiest ways to maintain brain health.

Brain plasticity can occur at any age

If you watch TV frequently, is it too late to take care of your brain?

“Actually, the brain is adaptable, regardless of age,” said Pei-Ning Wang. The brain has great plasticity compared to other organs. Whether it’s a brain injury or a stroke, brain function can be improved through rehabilitation.

The brain is constantly adjusting as it learns. from birth and throughout life. Throughout adulthood, the brain continues to make adjustments and connections based on our daily experiences and through things we see, hear, and learn.

The hippocampus, located deep in the temporal lobe, plays an important role in learning and short-term memory retention. It is also an area where cranial nerve regeneration is relatively active.

One study found that the hippocampus of London taxi drivers is relatively large. To obtain a London taxi driver’s license, students spend 3-4 years learning the complex streets of London: more than 60,000 streets, including one-way lanes and turn restrictions, and more than 100,000 places and points important reference. Reinforcement learning resulted in increased regeneration and neural connection in his hippocampus. [5]

Pei-Ning Wang pointed out that London taxi drivers have to use their brains to memorize these routes every day, which is more helpful in activating the brain than listening to navigation instructions.

The result of the research is encouraging: even in adulthood, we can stimulate the brain by learning things to achieve positive changes in the brain. And there are things we can do to promote regeneration and neural connection.

1. Aerobic exercises

Aerobic exercises such as jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and dancing can increase the volume of the hippocampus and brain.

A study on the effects of aerobic exercise on brain volume in older adults found that cardiovascular exercise helped prevent degeneration of brain tissue. Researchers believe that aerobic exercise can promote the growth of new capillaries in the brain, increase the connections and number of neurons, and slow neurological decline in the elderly. [6]

Pei-Ning Wang recommended dancing because it is a combination of mental and physical activities, where one needs to memorize the dance steps and learn the moves at the same time.

2. Static activities that involve thinking

While stationary activities like solving Sudoku, reading, and playing chess don’t require physical movement, they are better than watching TV. These types of static brain activities help maintain cognitive function and reduce the likelihood of dementia. [7]

3. Switch between dynamic and static activities

Doing housework, gardening, and traveling require mental and physical strength. Let’s take travel as an example. The body and mind are involved in planning a trip, selecting trip activities, organizing trip information, and completing the trip.

4. Develop Broad Interests

Joan Zeng said that different areas of the brain can be fully stimulated and activated, similar to how a balanced diet provides various nutrients. So, in addition to doing housework, exercising, and reading, you can also listen to music, sing, and enjoy the performing arts. The whole brain is active when watching a performance that includes music, singing, dancing, and drama.