User:Turtleumd123/Neurobiological effects of physical exercise

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There are numerous neurobiological effects of physical exercise that involve a wide range of interrelated effects on brain structure, brain function, and cognition. Past research has demonstrated that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day(cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate up) induces persistent improvements in certain cognitive functions, healthy alterations in gene expression in the brain, and beneficial forms of neuroplasticity and behavioral plasticity. Long term effects of these include: increased neuron growth, increased neurological activity (e.g., c-Fos and BDNF signaling), improved stress coping, enhanced cognitive control of behavior, improved declarative, spatial, and workingmemory, and structural and functional improvements in brain structures and pathwaysassociated with cognitive control and memory. The effects of exercise on cognition have important implications for improving academic performance in children and college students through the production of new growth factors, improving adult productivity by stimulating the development of new mitochondria, preserving cognitive function in old age, preventing or treating certain neurological disorders, and improving overall quality of life(improving brain health, weight management, and bone strengthening).

In healthy adults, aerobic exercise has been shown to induce transient effects on cognition after a single exercise session and persistent effects on cognition following consistent exercise over the course of several months. People who regularly perform an aerobic exercise (e.g., running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and cycling) have greater scores on neuropsychological function and performance tests that measure certain cognitive functions, such as attentional control, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, working memory updating and capacity, declarative memory, spatial memory, and information processing speed. Aditionally, aerobic exercise increases gray matter in the brain of healthy adults. Past findings have shown changes in the frontal lobe of the brain follwowing exercise, suggesting that it has a beneficial affect on the brain area(frontal lobe) that controls executive funtions. Increasing production of gray matter allows for further mental development and allows for higher mental processing in an individual.

Aerobic exercise has both short and long term effects on mood and emotional states by promoting positive affect, inhibiting negative affect, and decreasing the biological response to acute psychological stress. Short term aerobic exercise promotes positive affect by promoting relaxation and reducing the tension associated with anxiety in individuals. Aerobic exercise can improve both self- esteem and overall well-being(including sleep patterns) with consistent, long term participation. Aerobic exercise inhibits negative affect by releasing endorphins that uplift mood and relieve symptoms of depression. Long term aerobic exercise decreases the biological responses to stress by reducing the bodys production of stress hormones(adrenaline and cortisol).

References:

1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-can-boost-your-memory-and-thinking-skills#:~:text=Exercise%20stimulates%20physiological%20changes%20in,health%20of%20new%20brain%20cells.
2. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/exercise-increases-productivity/#:~:text=Physical%20exercise%20stimulates%20the%20development,brain%2C%20boosting%20your%20mental%20output.
3. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm#:~:text=Being%20physically%20active%20can%20improve,ability%20to%20do%20everyday%20activities.
4. https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2020/02/12/exercise-speaks-volumes-for-gray-matter/#:~:text=Cardiorespiratory%20fitness%20was%20measured%20using,with%20increased%20gray%20matter%20volume.
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553239/#:~:text=%5B7%5D%20After%20year%20eight%2C,mental%20development%20of%20the%20individual.
6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541#:~:text=Boost%20your%20mood,can%20also%20improve%20your%20sleep.
7. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0287650#:~:text=Moderate%20aerobic%20exercise%20can%20stimulate,anxiety%20and%20depression%20%5B51%5D.
8. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax#:~:text=The%20mental%20benefits%20of%20aerobic,natural%20painkillers%20and%20mood%20elevators.

Article Draft

Lead

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.

Article body

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.