MATHEW EDLUND
Contributing Columnist
edlund@lbknews.com
Can’t remember names? Birthdays?
Sex grows brain memory areas – in mice. But what works in people? The answer: walking.
There are numerous studies that show walking can prevent Alzheimer’s. Can it improve memory?
A recent research study at the University of Pittsburgh was simplicity itself. Two groups of adults were looked at, from age 55-80. Both groups did little “exercise.” One group was asked to walk three times a week. The goal was 40 minutes a time, though rather few made it that long. The other group spent the same amount of time stretching, doing yoga and lifting weights.
At the end of the year, the walking group showed improved memory. And something else. A bigger hippocampus — a 2 percent increase. The group that stretched showed a decline of 1.4 percent of hippocampal size.
Why should you care? The hippocampus is critical for memory.
How memory works
The hippocampus engages in a near endless conversation with the cortex to entrain memory.