Exercise for a Better Brain

Most of the time, your brain is the boss of your muscle—directing how you hit a ball, play the piano, or open a cereal box.【小题1】When you're active, they send chemical signals telling your brain, "Hey, it's time to grow!" Recent research suggests physical activity is good for your brain and encourages the birth and growth of new brain cells.

In a study, people who ran for 45 minutes three days a week boosted their levels of a brain-derived neurotrophic（神经营养的）factor, a chemical that acts like fertilizer for new brain cells.【小题2】

Studies suggest that in younger adults, exercise can add to the overall number of cell in the hippocampus（海马体）.【小题3】It's a good deal because these new brain cells are very active and get involved in more memory circuits than older cells do. At any age, you might notice that you have an easier time remembering things after you start a new exercise.

【小题4】If you're inactive, walking around the block may be the only way to encourage neuroplasticity. People who don't like to move but tried to walk daily by 7500 steps or more had bigger brains than those who didn't exercise—the same to 1.4 to 2.2 fewer years of brain aging. So it is advisable for people at any age to get involved in light activity, such as doing housework, shopping, gardening, or walking the dog.【小题5】