Aerobic exercise: good for brain

New research has found that regular exercises and being physically active not only is good for the body but also benefits the mind.

The research was done in University of Otago, New Zealand recently and published in ‘Springer’ journal. The study revealed that fitter individuals scored better in mental tests than their unfit peers.

Intervention studies found that participants who were assigned aerobic exercise program had improved scores in mental tests compared to those assigned tone and stretch classes.

However, the results were not replicated in children and young adults.

Memory and the volume of information that could be held improved greatly in older individuals.

Aerobic exercises (usually refers to walking, swimming, running, jogging, cycling, etc. that use oxygen to meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism) and physical activity has a great potential to boost mental functions in older individuals.

Dr. Ajay Sati.