User:Turtleumd123/Neurobiological effects of physical exercise

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In addition to the persistent effects on cognition that result from several months of daily exercise, acute exercise (i.e., a single bout of exercise) has been shown to transiently improve a number of cognitive functions. Reviews and meta-analyses of research on the effects of acute exercise on cognition in healthy young and middle-aged adults have concluded that information processing speed and a number of executive functions – including attention, working memory, problem solving, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, decision making, and inhibitory control – all improve for a period of up to 2 hours post-exercise. A systematic review of studies conducted on children also suggested that some of the exercise-induced improvements in executive function are apparent after single bouts of exercise, while other aspects (e.g., attentional control) only improve following consistent exercise on a regular basis. Other research has suggested immediate performative enhancements during exercise, such as exercise-concurrent improvements in processing speed during visual working memory tasks

Neuroplasticity is the process by which neurons adapt to a disturbance over time, and most often occurs in response to repeated exposure to stimuli. Aerobic exercise increases the production of neurotrophic factors (e.g., BDNF, IGF-1, VEGF) which mediate improvements in cognitive functions and various forms of memory by promoting blood vessel formation in the brain, adult neurogenesis, and other forms of neuroplasticity. Consistent aerobic exercise over a period of several months induces clinically significant improvements in executive functions and increased gray matter volume in nearly all regions of the brain, with the most marked increases occurring in brain regions that give rise to executive functions. The brain structures that show the greatest improvements in gray matter volume in response to aerobic exercise are the prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and hippocampus; less significant increases in gray matter volume occur in the anterior cingulate cortex, parietal cortex, cerebellum, and nucleus accumbens.The prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and anterior cingulate cortex are among the most significant brain structures in the dopamine and norepinephrine systems that give rise to cognitive control. Exercise-induced neurogenesis (i.e., the increases in gray matter volume) in the hippocampus is associated with measurable improvements in spatial memory. Higher physical fitness scores, as measured by VO₂ max, are associated with better executive function, faster information processing speed, and greater gray matter volume of the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and nucleus accumbens.

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Exercise impacts the body in multiple ways and increases the blood flow throughout the human body. Exercise plays a huge role in strengthening both your muscles and bones. Exercise stimulates brain activity and also activates the nervous system. The nervous system is one of the body's most important functions because of its ability to regulate every process in the body. Exercise benefits the central nervous system by increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and stimulating the release of growth factors (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110.

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While pursuing aerobic exercise, the body is increasing its oxygen consumption. The body is consuming more oxygen due to the demand that is coming from the muscles. This uptake in oxygen stimulates increased blood flow throughout the entire body, including the brain. Increased blood supply and flow are beneficial to the human body because they supply the muscles with new blood while also carrying the muscle waste back to the kidneys https://lifesciences.byu.edu/how-exercise-affects-your-brain. Exercise works to reduce inflammation by altering the activity of the brain's immune cells, which then reduces the inflammation in the brain. This is very important because brain inflammation can lead to severe infections and cognitive decline. Brain inflammation can damage the structure and functions of the brain as well, reducing overall brain activity. Exercise stimulates growth factors in the brain by making new connections between cells and also develops brain plasticity. This development of the brain is extremely important because it improves both cognition and mood, affected in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-exercise-affects-your-brain/. Mood is affected because during exercise because it triggers a release of both seratonin and dopamine. Both serotonin and dopamine are molecules that affect the ways that we feel, this includes temporary and long- lasting sensations.

References

https://lifesciences.byu.edu

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-exercise-affects-your-brain/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110.