More evidence is mounting that engaging in physical exercise leads to a healthier brain. At the Society for Neuroscience meeting currently underway in San Diego, researchers are reporting that “physical exercise can ease depression, slow age-related memory loss and prevent Parkinson-like symptoms.”
If you’re just playing Sudoku or challenging yourself with a crossword puzzle, you may not be doing enough.
“We definitely have more evidence for exercise,” said Teresa Liu-Ambrose of the University of British Columbia. Liu-Ambrose moderated a panel of scientists who presented studies showing that physical activity offers a wide range of brain benefits.
One reason exercise provides mental benefits may be that it actually requires the brain to do a lot of work, Robin Callister of the University of Newcastle said. The brain is coordinating complex movements when you go on a run, she said. Team sports or group exercises also activate parts of the brain devoted to social interactions.
Read more at NPR.