Exercise can improve cognitive performance, decrease biomarkers for Alzheimer disease, and increase gray-matter volume (e.g., JW Psychiatry Nov 8 2010). Two recent studies in mice and humans are even more persuasive regarding the benefits of exercise.
Safdar and colleagues examined the effects of 5 months of forced endurance exercise (15 meters/minute for 45 minutes, thrice weekly) in mice with a somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation that accelerates aging. Exercised mutator mice were compared with sedentary mutator and wild-type mice. All mice ate freely. By 6 months, sedentary mutator mice had symptoms of accelerated aging. Compared with sedentary mutator mice, wild-type and exercised mutator mice had greater biogenesis, function, and…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)