Abolishing brain cells

mapesy
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:25:30 +0000

What can we do to promote brain health? (Other than NOT doing the aforementioned harmful things!).



After being told all my life that we’re born with all the brain cells we’ll ever have, I was amazed at the results of a Swedish study last year. According to the research, physical exercise stimulates the growth of neurons in the hippocampus:

[Exercise Grows New Brain Cells | LiveScience](Exercise Grows New Brain Cells | Live Science)

Also, although mental exercises don’t regenerate neurons, they can slow cognitive decline as we age:

[Short Mental Workouts May Slow Decline of Aging Minds, Study Finds - washingtonpost.com](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901431.html)

(If Mollie has time, perhaps she can explain all of this to us.)

There’s hope!!

Edit: Coincidentally, CNN just published this article on the “brain fitness” explosion in baby boomers:

[Aging boomers fuel ‘brain fitness’ explosion - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/06/17/brain.fitness.ap/index.html)