A recent research conducted by neuroscientists from Oregon Health and Science University, USA, found that exercise is closely connected with a part of human brain responsible for cognitive abilities. Researchers provided details of their study to popular online scientific journal eLife.

Does your IQ depend on physical activity?

In the words of Gary Westbrook, M.D, the leading researcher, “The earlier studies on animals as well as humans already showed that there is a positive impact of constant exercise on our cognitive abilities.”

“Nevertheless, it is not easy to disentangle a particular influence of exercise on brain from its overall advantage to our muscles, liver and heart. As an illustration, a human brain is better oxygenated if a person’s heart is healthy”, explains Westbrook, who is also a Dixon Professor of Neurology of the OHSU School of Medicine.

“The focus of nearly all former studies about exercise was on its sustained effects on human body”, scientist explained.

“For us, neuroscientists, it was more important to know what impact the exercise makes on human brain. We wanted to prove that this connection exists and explain how it works”.

Get moving to stay smart

The new research was based on observations of mice that had to exercise for brief periods of time on running wheels. Previously inactive mice were made to spin wheels day by day, and scientists then measured their brain response. The total duration of mice running came to two hours a day.

The animal models proved that training stimulated distinct neurons of brains that contributed to the synapses’ surge of their hippocampus. Indeed, mice’s running a few kilometers a day is not different to human regular walking or basketball training. To be a little more specific, for genes and brains improvement, we need to make only 4,000 steps a day or one or two pickup basketball games a week.

The study tests helped to discover a specific gene, Mtss1L, which did not draw attention of scientists before. “That was one of the most important things among our findings”, informs Christina Chatzi, Ph.D, another member of the project.

The truth is that Mtss1L plays a key role in encoding of the protein that provokes a cell membrane bending. When a short spate of exercise activates this gene, it contributes to tiny growths on our neurons, so-called dendritic spines – this is the place where synapses develop.

Movement will help you stay smart.

You don’t need a gym subscription

Essentially, data resulting from the study verified the idea that a sharp burst of physical activity is enough to boost our cognitive abilities.

According to Westbrook, a general exercise is highly accessible to everyone since we do not need much time and money for simple walking or jogging. For example, about 40 minutes of brisk walking a day is enough to get the benefit.

In the next stage, the researchers plan to review the impact of short spates of exercise on people performing cognitive tasks.

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