Columbia-Led Study Finds Exercise Benefits Area of Brain Involved in Aging

It has long been theorized that people who exercise do better on memory tests. This idea was further solidified through the recent work at the Columbia University Medical Center. A new study found that exercise specifically strengthens"  a region of the brain known as the dentate gyrus, the site perhaps most related to memory function, stability, and growth.

This finding was made possible through the use of the first-ever observation of neurogenesis, the growth of neurons, within a living brain. This method, first developed at Columbia University, centers on using MRI imaging which finally allows for significantly increased observations of neurogenesis in human studies.

The next step will now be to identify which exercise programs are most beneficial to improving brain neuron growth and health and thus boosted memory function.

This study confirms the believe that exercising regularly and living a fitness minded lifestyle can help individuals stay healthy not only physically but also mentally. As Scott A. Small, M.D., associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center and the study’s lead author. "I, like many physicians, already encourage my patients to get active and this adds yet another reason to the long list of reasons why exercise is good for overall health."