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Halfpoint Images / Getty Images Doing moderate to vigorous exercise could lead to improved memory the next day, a new study found.

This finding follows increasing evidence that regular physical activity can enhance cognitive abilities.

To boost your next-day memory, experts say to try brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing to upbeat music.

Want to boost your memory for tomorrow? Get in a workout today.

At least that’s the takeaway from a new study finding that older adults who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day did better in memory tests the day after.1

Researchers found that moving more throughout the day and getting at least six hours of sleep further enhanced mental performance.1

The study, published Dec. 9 in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity , builds on previous research showing exercise is good for brain health.

“We know from laboratory-based studies that we get a cognitive boost in the minutes to hours following a bout of exercise,” lead study author Mikaela Bloomberg, PhD , a senior research fellow in social epidemiology with the University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, told Health . “We wanted to see whether this benefit might last longer than a couple hours outside of a laboratory.”

How To Boost Your Memory in Your 30s, 40s, 50s, and Beyond A Closer Look at the Study

To examine the link between exercise and memory, researchers recruited 76 cognitively healthy adults from the United Kingdom aged 50 to 83. The participants wore trackers on their wrists for eight days to monitor physical activity and sleep . They also took memory-focused tests daily.

Researchers found an association between an additional 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, as measured by tracker data, and better short-term working memory and longer-term episodic memory, which is the ability to recall specific events the next day. Light exercise, such as taking the stairs or walking, did not affect memory the next day.1

The association between cognitive performance and exercise held when researchers controlled for sleep scores. But they also found an independent link between more sleep and better episodic memory and psychomotor speed, a measure of how quickly a person can process information, make sense of it, and respond.1

“Sleep contributes to cognitive performance and physical activity and sleep are intrinsically linked behaviors,” Bloomberg said. “Physical activity impacts sleep quality, both how much sleep you get and which sleep stages you spend the most time in, so we needed to look at both to get the whole picture.”

Experts agreed that the findings aren’t surprising. “There is increasing evidence that regular physical activity can enhance cognitive abilities and potentially lower the risk of developing future dementia ,” Peter Gliebus, MD , director of cognitive and behavioral neurology at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health in Boca Raton, Florida, told Health . “This research reinforces existing evidence that regular physical activity is essential for optimal brain function.”

The study has several limitations, however, including the small sample size and the low diversity of participants’ cognitive health. Why Moderate to Vigorous Exercise May Boost Memory

There are several reasons why moderate physical activity, and not lighter exercise, may provide a memory boost.

According to Yi Shan Lee, MD , a clinical assistant professor in the department of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, research suggests moderate to vigorous physical activity may increase the brain’s ability to create new cells and rewire itself, helping to strengthen memory.

These studies have involved brain imaging as well as measuring levels of memory-related neurotransmitters and lactate, a chemical typically elevated after exercise.2 Increased lactate levels “can further stimulate the production of these neurochemicals, likely causing the short-term effect discussed in this new research,” Lee told Health .

Bloomberg said moderate exercise can also reduce stress and anxiety , which can improve memory.

5 Exercises for Anxiety To Help You Relax What Is Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity?

The CDC defines moderate to vigorous physical activities as “working hard enough to breathe harder, raise your heart rate, and break a sweat.”3

Lee says some examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking, walking on an incline, cycling, swimming, and dancing to upbeat music. Jogging, running, or playing sports like basketball or football rise to the level of vigorous activity, he added.

“The type of activities matters, as well as the duration of the activity,” Lee said. “There are many types of exercise, but a general reference point I tell my patients would be, ‘It would feel difficult to do the activity and keep up a conversation.’”

Read more at www.health.com

by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Neurons in the neocortex: Slow-wave sleep strengthens the connections between them, supporting memory formation. Credit: Charité | Sabine Grosser It has been known for nearly 20 years that slow, synchronous electrical waves in the brain during deep sleep support the formation of memories. Why that is, was previously unknown.

Now, writing in the journal Nature Communications , a team of researchers from Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin posits an explanation. According to the study , the slow waves make the neocortex, the location of long-term memory , especially receptive to information. The findings could help to optimize the treatment approaches that are intended to support memory formation from outside.

How do permanent memories form? Experts believe that while we sleep, our brains replay the events of the day, moving information from the location of short-term memory, the hippocampus, to the long-term memory located in the neocortex.

“Slow waves” are especially key to this process: slow, synchronous oscillations of electrical voltage in the cortex that occur during the deep sleep phase. They can be measured using an electroencephalogram (EEG). The waves originate when the electrical voltage in many neurons rises and falls simultaneously once per second.

“We’ve known for many years that these voltage fluctuations contribute to the formation of memory,” explains Prof. Jörg Geiger, director of the Institute of Neurophysiology at Charité and the head of the newly published study.

“When slow-wave sleep is artificially augmented from outside, memory improves. But what we didn’t know until now was what exactly is happening inside the brain when this occurs, because it is extremely difficult to study the flows of information inside the human brain.” Ten “feelers” to track deep sleep: This friendly-looking microscope was instrumental in decoding the effects of the slow waves typical of sleep. Equipped with ten glass pipettes that can be controlled precisely down to the nanometer using robot arms, it can stimulate and read the electrical activity of just as many nerve cells in the connected tissue. Credit: Charité | Franz Xaver Mittermaier Slow waves strengthen synapses

He and his team have now used intact human brain tissue, which is extremely rare, to clarify the processes that are very likely to underlie the formation of memory during deep sleep. According to their findings, the slow electrical waves influence the strength of synaptic connections between the neurons in the neocortex—and thus their receptivity.

For their study, the team of researchers studied intact neocortical tissue samples taken from 45 patients who had undergone neurosurgery to treat epilepsy or a brain tumor at Charité, the Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel (EvKB) hospital, or the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE).

The researchers simulated the voltage fluctuations typical of slow brain waves during deep sleep in the tissue and then measured the nerve cells ‘ response.

To achieve this, they used glass micropipettes positioned precisely down to the nanometer. To “listen in” on the communications among multiple nerve cells connected through the tissue, they used up to 10 “pipette feelers” at once—an extra large number for this method, which is known as the multipatch technique. Ten “pipette feelers” in use. Credit: Charité | Yangfan Peng Perfect timing contributes to memory formation

The team of researchers discovered that the synaptic connections between neurons in the neocortex are maximally enhanced at a very specific point in time during the voltage fluctuations.

“The synapses work most efficiently immediately after the voltage rises from low to high,” explains Franz Xaver Mittermaier, a researcher at the Institute of Neurophysiology at Charité and the first author of the study.

“During that brief time window, the cortex can be thought of as having been placed in a state of elevated readiness. If the brain plays back a memory at exactly this time, it is transferred to long-term memory especially effectively. So, slow-wave sleep evidently supports memory formation by making the neocortex particularly receptive for many short periods of time.”

This knowledge could be used to improve memory, for example in mild cognitive impairment in the elderly. Research groups around the world are working on methods of using subtle electrical impulses—transcranial electrostimulation—or acoustic signals to influence slow waves during sleep.

“Right now, though, these stimulation approaches are being optimized through trial and error, which is a laborious and time-consuming process,” Geiger says. “Our findings about the perfect timing could help with this. Now, for the first time, they allow for targeted development of methods of stimulation to boost memory formation.”

More information: Franz X. Mittermaier et al, Membrane potential states gate synaptic consolidation in human neocortical tissue, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53901-2

Provided by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Read more at medicalxpress.com

Researchers at Max Planck Florida Institute discovered that long-term memories can form independently of short-term memories, challenging existing theories and revealing a parallel pathway for memory formation. Long-term memories can form without short-term memory, revealing a new brain pathway.

Scientists at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have uncovered a novel mechanism for the formation of long-term memories in the brain. Their research indicates that long-term memories can develop independently of short-term memories, presenting exciting possibilities for understanding memory-related conditions. A New Perspective on Memory Formation

Our brain works diligently to record experiences as memories, creating representations of daily events that remain with us for short periods. Current scientific theories on memory formation suggest that short-term memories are stored in what we might imagine as a temporary art exhibition in the brain, eventually cleared out to make space for new experiences. A small fraction of these short-term memories—those most significant to us—are transferred to a more permanent exhibit, our long-term memory, where they can be preserved for days, years, or even decades.

The most prevalent theories suggest this is a linear process. Our experience is encoded into a short-term memory, which is then consolidated into a long-term memory. However, a new study by Dr. Myung Eun Shin, Dr. Paula Parra-Beuno, and MPFI Scientific Director Dr. Ryohei Yasuda suggests that there may be another way to long-term memory formation. Scientists discover a new pathway to long-term memory formation in the brain that can bypass the formation of short-term memory. Credit: Helena Pinheiro “This discovery is akin to finding a secret pathway to a permanent gallery in the brain,” said Dr. Shin, the study’s lead author. “The prevailing theory suggested a single pathway, where short-term memories were consolidated into long-term memories. However, we now have strong evidence of at least two distinct pathways to memory formation—one dedicated to short-term memories and another to long-term memories. This could mean our brains are more resilient than previously thought.” The Key Finding: Disrupting short-term memory formation did not block long-term memory

The research team focused on a specific enzyme in neurons called CaMKII, which is critical for short-term memory formation. Previously, they developed an optogenetic approach that uses light to temporarily deactivate CaMKII. With this tool in hand, the team set out to use light to block short-term memory formation in a mouse.

Mice prefer dark spaces and, when given a choice, will immediately enter a dark space from a brightly lit one. However, if a mouse is frightened in a particular dark space, the memory of the frightening experience will alter its behavior, and the mouse will avoid entering the dark space again. When the research team used their tool to disrupt memory formation, even those mice that had a frightening experience an hour earlier entered the dark space, suggesting they had no memory of the experience. The scientists had successfully blocked short-term memory formation.

What happened next was surprising to the research team. A day, week, or even a month later, these mice were altering their behavior to avoid where they were previously frightened. Mice that didn’t seem to remember the frightening experience an hour after it occurred, showed clear evidence of remembering at later times. In other words, blocking short-term memory of the event did not disrupt long-term memory.

“We were initially quite surprised by this observation, as it was inconsistent with how we thought memories were formed. We didn’t think it was possible to have a long-term memory of an event without a short-term memory. However, when we repeated these experiments and used multiple tools and approaches to verify our findings, we were convinced,” describes Dr. Shin. “Rather than long-term memory formation being a linear process, that requires short-term memory, a parallel pathway to long-term memory formation that bypasses short-term memory must exist.” Implications for Memory Dysfunction

This study has changed the model of how memories are formed in the brain. Significant scientific advances often come after previous models of understanding are overturned, and the team is excited to see where this line of research will take them.

“This new finding has revised our understanding. We are now investigating how this newly discovered pathway to long-term memory formation occurs. We are excited to see what we can learn and what this could mean for preserving long-term memory retention, even when short-term memory is compromised by aging or cognitive impairment,” says Dr. Yasuda.

Reference: “Formation of long-term memory without short-term memory revealed by CaMKII inhibition” by Myung Eun Shin, Paula Parra-Bueno and Ryohei Yasuda, 5 December 2024, Nature Neuroscience .
DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01831-z

This research was funded by the National Institute of Health and the Max Planck Society.

Read more at scitechdaily.com

Exercising on one day boosts brain function into the nextDepositphotos Declining brain function is a natural part of the aging process, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be delayed. A new study has found that physical activity can boost brain function for up to 24 hours and, independent of exercise, so can a good night’s sleep.

Age-related cognitive decline affects older adults’ well-being, quality of life, and independence. While it may be part of the natural aging process, there are methods of delaying this decline. Exercise is one. Previous studies have found that physical activity is a protective factor for cognitive function .

Now, a new study by researchers from the University College London (UCL) and the University of Oxford in the UK has examined how long the brain-boosting benefits of exercise last in older adults.

“Among older adults, maintaining cognitive function is important for good quality of life, well-being, and independence,” said study co-author Andrew Steptoe from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Health Care. “It’s therefore helpful to identify factors that can affect cognitive health on a day-to-day basis.”

A sample of 76 UK adults aged 50 to 83 – mean age 64.6; 60.5% women – wore a waterproof accelerometer on their dominant wrist 24 hours a day for eight consecutive days. Data on physical activity and sedentary behavior were collected and categorized as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, sedentary behavior. Sleep duration and quality was also assessed. To evaluate the day-to-day associations of movement with cognitive health and mental well-being, participants took daily tests to measure cognition across five domains, including memory (episodic and working memory), executive function, and processing speed.

“Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that gets your heart rate up – this could be brisk walking, dancing or walking up a few flights of stairs,” explained the study’s lead and corresponding author, Dr Mikaela Bloomberg, also from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Health Care. “It doesn’t have to be structured exercise.” Independent of physical activity, getting more deep sleep led to better memory the next day Doing more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with better episodic and working memory up to 24 hours later, while more sedentary behavior was associated with reduced working memory. Working memory relates to our ability to hold information temporarily; it’s important for reasoning and guides behavior and decision-making. Episodic memory enables the recall and re-experiencing of personal experiences or events, including when and where they occurred. These results didn’t change substantively after accounting for sleep characteristics the night before.

Interestingly, the researchers found that independently of previous-day moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, longer overall sleep duration the previous night was associated with better episodic memory and psychomotor speed (the time it takes to process new information, make sense of it and respond physically). Getting more rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – the stage of sleep in which dreaming occurs – was associated with better attention, and more deep, restorative sleep was associated with better next-day episodic memory.

“Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical exercise may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise,” Bloomberg said. “Getting more sleep, particularly deep sleep, seems to add to this memory improvement.”

“However, we can’t establish from this study whether these short-term boosts to cognitive performance contribute to longer-term cognitive health, and though there is plenty of evidence to suggest physical activity might slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk, it’s still a matter of some debate,” added Steptoe.

As Steptoe pointed out, a limitation of the study was that it was unable to examine longer-term changes in cognitive function. Another was that participants were already highly active and cognitively healthy, so the results might not be generalizable to populations with cognitive disorders.

The study was published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity .

Source: UCL

Read more at newatlas.com

Neurons in the neocortex. Slow-wave sleep strengthens the connections between them and supports the formation of memory. It’s no hidden health secret that sleep is really good for us . It helps our immune systems and supports almost every organ system in the body. We’ve also known for almost two decades that the slow, synchronous electrical waves in the brain during deep sleep supports memory formation . However, we did not know exactly how the brain does this until now. These slow waves make the neocortex–where long-term memory is stored in the brain–particularly receptive to new information. The findings are detailed in a study published December 12 in the journal Nature Communications . Get the Popular Science newsletter

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By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. How permanent memories form

Scientists believe that our brains replay the events of the day when we sleep . The brain moves information from the hippocampus –where short-term memories are stored into the neocortex. In the neocortex, they become long-term memories. Slow waves are key to this process. These waves are steady and simultaneous oscillations of electrical voltage in the cortex that happen during deep sleep. Slow waves can be measured using a test called an electroencephalogram (EEG) . The waves also begin when the electrical voltage in many neurons rises and falls simultaneously once per second.

“We’ve known for many years that these voltage fluctuations contribute to the formation of memory,” Jörg Geiger, a study co-author and director of the Institute of Neurophysiology at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany, said in a statement . “When slow-wave sleep is artificially augmented from outside, memory improves. But what we didn’t know until now was what exactly is happening inside the brain when this occurs, because it is extremely difficult to study the flows of information inside the human brain.”

[ Related: How to fix your sleep schedule without pulling an all-nighter. ] Studying intact brain tissue

In the new study , the team used extremely rare intact human brain tissue. They studied intact neocortical tissue samples that were taken from 45 patients who had undergone surgery to treat either a brain tumor or epilepsy at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany. They simulated the voltage fluctuations typical of slow brain waves during deep sleep in the tissue. Then, they measured the nerve cells’ response by using glass micropipettes positioned down to the nanometer. To eavesdrop on the communications among multiple nerve cells connected through the tissue, they used up to ten “pipette feelers” at once. This is a particularly large number for this nerve listening method called the multipatch technique . Ten “feelers” to track deep sleep: This friendly-looking microscope was instrumental in decoding the effects of the slow waves typical of sleep. Equipped with ten glass pipettes that can be controlled precisely down to the nanometer using robot arms, it can stimulate and read the electrical activity of just as many nerve cells in the connected tissue. CREDIT: © Charité | Franz Xaver Mittermaier. The team found that the connections between neurons in the neocortex are very enhanced at one specific point in time during the voltage fluctuations.

“The synapses work most efficiently immediately after the voltage rises from low to high,” study co-author and neurophysiologist Franz Xaver Mittermaier, said in a statement . “During that brief time window, the cortex can be thought of as having been placed in a state of elevated readiness. If the brain plays back a memory at exactly this time, it is transferred to long-term memory especially effectively.”

This slow-wave sleep likely supports memory formation by making the long-term memory storing neocortex especially receptive for short bursts of time. Finding the perfect timing

According to the team , this knowledge could be used to create better therapeutic methods for improving memory. Several research groups all over the world are working on methods of using subtle electrical impulses–called transcranial electrostimulation–or acoustic signals as a way to influence slow waves during sleep.

“Right now, though, these stimulation approaches are being optimized through trial and error, which is a laborious and time-consuming process,” said Geiger. “Our findings about the perfect timing could help with this. Now, for the first time, they allow for targeted development of methods of stimulation to boost memory formation.” Win the Holidays with PopSci’s Gift Guides

Shopping for, well, anyone? The PopSci team’s holiday gift recommendations mean you’ll never need to buy another last-minute gift card.

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What’s good for your heart is good for your brain. Just as physical activity helps keep our bodies fit and strong as we age, it also helps maintain our cognitive function – and is even linked with lower dementia risk .

Yet beyond the longer term cognitive benefits of physical activity, exercise also seems to give a short-term boost to cognitive performance lasting from minutes to hours. According to our latest study, this cognitive boost may last up to 24-hours after exercising. Because some cognitive abilities start to decline as we get older, even small boosts to cognitive function can help keep us active and independent for longer.

Studies conducted both in the lab and real-world settings have shown that people who are more physically active – whether that’s in the form of structured workouts or they just do more activity in their day-to-day lives – perform better on cognitive tests in the hours after exercising.

But one question researchers are still trying to answer is how long these cognitive benefits last – particularly in older adults, where maintaining cognitive function is very important. This is what our research aimed to do.

In our study of middle-aged and older adults, we found that people who did more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (such as jogging or cycling) performed better on memory tests the following day. This suggests that the memory benefits of physical activity might last longer than the couple of hours found in previous, lab-based studies .

Our study involved 76 participants aged 50-83. Each participant wore a wrist-worn activity tracker for eight days and nights. They were instructed to go about their daily lives as usual. From these activity trackers, we were able to see how much time participants spent being sedentary or physically active each day – and how intense this physical activity was.

Because physical activity also affects sleep quality – particularly the amount of time spent in the deepest and most restorative sleep phase, referred to as slow-wave sleep – we were also interested in exploring the role of sleep in cognitive performance. We extracted sleep quality characteristics from the activity trackers – including total sleep duration and time spent in slow-wave sleep. Slow-wave sleep was also important for memory performance. On each day the participants wore the activity trackers, they also took a set of cognitive tests. Some of these cognitive tests assessed episodic memory (being able to recollect previous experiences) and working memory (the ability to temporarily store information in the mind). The type of cognitive tests the participants were given alternated each day to reduce the chances of participants learning and remembering the answers.

We wanted to be sure we had isolated the effect of physical activity and sleep on next-day cognitive performance. So, we took into account a number of demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics that could have distorted the results. Each day, we also accounted for a participant’s previous cognitive score to be sure we were focusing on day-to-day improvements in cognitive performance. Memory boost

We found that the more time a participant spent doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, the better their episodic and working memory scores were the following day. Getting more sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep, was also associated with improvement in memory scores – independently of physical activity. But people who were more sedentary had worse working memory scores the following day.

While the improvement in memory performance was relatively modest, none of our participants had cognitive impairment or dementia. So they realistically did not have much room to improve on these tests to begin with.

But these results could serve as a jumping-off point for future studies examining next-day cognitive performance in people with neurodegenerative diseases – such as dementia, where we might see larger improvements in test scores. These findings also need replicating in a larger study before we can be sure of them.

The short-term cognitive benefits of exercise are thought to occur because exercise stimulates blood flow and the release of specific brain chemicals that contribute to cognitive function . Generally, these neurochemical benefits are thought to last a couple hours following exercise. However, other changes induced by exercise — including some implicated in memory function — might last for 24-48 hours following exercise. This might underlie the results we found in our study.

Our findings point to the importance of maintaining active lifestyles as we age – and supporting this active lifestyle with good sleep.

Read more at theconversation.com

Brain boost from exercise and deep sleep lasts through the next day, recent research shows. Image credit: BONNINSTUDIO/Stocksy. Regular exercise is good for brain health.

Past studies show the ‘boost’ the brain receives from physical activity normally peaks within the first 10 to 20 minutes.

Researchers from University College London have now found that the exercise-caused improvement to cognitive performance may actually last for 24 hours.

Scientists also linked sitting less and getting 6 or more hours of sleep to better memory test scores the next day.

Evidence points to the fact that regular exercise is good for overall health, including brain health .

Past studies show that physical activity can possibly help lower a person’s risk for dementia — including Alzheimer’s disease — and cognitive decline , more broadly.

Previous research shows that the “boost” the brain receives from exercise typically peaks within the first 10 to 20 minutes .

Now, researchers from University College London, in the United Kingdom, have found that the exercise-related improvement to cognitive performance may actually last for 24 hours.

Scientists also linked sitting less and getting 6 or more hours of sleep — especially additional REM sleep and deep sleep — to better memory test scores the next day.

The study was recently published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity . Tracking how long exercise-related cognitive boosts last

For this study, researchers recruited 76 adults between the ages of 50 and 83 that had no diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment.

Each participant wore a wrist accelerometer for 8 days to track their physical and sedentary behavior, as well as their sleep patterns.

“Because our cognitive function declines as we age, and having good cognitive function is important for quality of life and independence, we want to continue to understand optimal ways to modify our lifestyle to maintain good cognitive function for as long as possible,” Mikaela Bloomberg, PhD, senior research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, and lead author of this study told Medical News Today .

“We know from laboratory-based studies that we get a cognitive boost in the minutes to hours following a bout of exercise,” Bloomberg continued. “We wanted to see whether this benefit might last longer than a couple hours, particularly in a group of older adults where maintenance of cognitive function is particularly important, and outside a laboratory setting.” Moderate, vigorous exercise linked to improved memory the next day

Upon analysis, Bloomberg and her team found that more moderate or vigorous exercise — compared to a person’s average — was correlated to an improved working memory (the ability to retain information while doing something else) and episodic memory (recalling everyday events) the next day.

Conversely, researchers discovered that being more sedentary led to decreased working memory the next day.

“Exercise stimulates blood flow and neurotransmitters that contribute to cognitive function,” Bloomberg explained. “[These findings mean] that the memory benefits of physical activity might last longer than previously established from laboratory-based studies.” More than 6 hours of sleep linked to better memory, attention

The researchers also found that study participants receiving 6 or more hours of sleep had better episodic memory and psychomotor speed compared to those who slept less.

They further found that every 30 additional minutes of REM sleep the previous night was associated with an increase in participants’ attention scores.

Moreover, each 30-minute increase in slow-wave sleep — also called deep sleep — was correlated to improved episodic memory score.

“Sleep and physical activity are intrinsically linked behaviors; we can’t consider physical activity without taking sleep into account which is why we also considered sleep,” Bloomberg said. “This finding reiterates what is already known about sleep and next-day memory function.”

“It will be interesting as a next step to undertake similar research in a group of adults that is less cognitively healthy than the group we studied, to see whether we see different results,” she added.

“Among older adults, maintaining cognitive function is important for good quality of life, well-being, and independence,” Andrew Steptoe, PhD , professor of psychology and epidemiology and head of the Research Department of Behavioral Science and Health at University College London and co-author of this study said in a press release . “It’s therefore helpful to identify factors that can affect cognitive health on a day-to-day basis.”

“This study provides evidence that the immediate cognitive benefits of exercise may last longer than we thought,” Steptoe continued.

“It also suggests good sleep quality separately contributes to cognitive performance. However, we can’t establish from this study whether these short-term boosts to cognitive performance contribute to longer term cognitive health and though there is plenty of evidence to suggest physical activity might slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk, it’s still a matter of some debate,” he cautioned. Exercise, sleep, cognitive benefit connection needs further study

MNT also spoke with Ryan Glatt, CPT, NBC-HWC , senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, about this study.“While intriguing, the study is small and limited in its generalizability,” Glatt, who was not involved in the research, told us. “The connection between physical activity, sleep, and next-day cognitive benefits warrants further exploration with a larger and more diverse sample.” “Exercise and sleep are both modifiable lifestyle factors, which means their optimization could have significant implications for cognitive aging and public health interventions. However, more robust evidence is needed to establish these effects over longer periods. Future research should include larger sample sizes, diverse populations — including those with cognitive impairments — and longer follow-up periods to determine if short-term cognitive benefits translate into sustained improvements or reduced cognitive decline.” – Ryan Glatt, CPT, NBC-HWC Finally, MNT spoke with Vernon Williams, MD , a sports neurologist, and the founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, about this study.Williams, who […]

Read more at www.medicalnewstoday.com

New research suggests the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News Want to give your brain a boost for tomorrow?

Get in a little pulse-pounding exercise today, a new study shows.

In a finding that suggests the benefits of exercise may linger longer than believed, researchers discovered that middle-aged adults and seniors perform better on memory tests even a full day after they’ve had some moderate to vigorous physical activity.

“Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that gets your heart rate up — this could be brisk walking, dancing or walking up a few flights of stairs. It doesn’t have to be structured exercise,” said lead researcher Mikaela Bloomberg , a senior research fellow in social epidemiology with the University College London’s Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care. Related

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“Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise,” Bloomberg said in a UCL news release.

People ages 50 to 84 also did better on memory tests if they spent less time sitting the day before or got six or more hours of sleep.

Exercise is known to provide a short-term brain boost by increasing blood flow to the brain, and by stimulating the release of neurochemicals that support many different cognitive functions, researchers explained in background notes.

These brain chemical changes are known to last at least a few hours after exercise, but researchers suspected the boost might last even longer because other brain states linked to exercise are more long-lasting.

For example, evidence suggests that exercise can enhance a person’s mood for up to 24 hours, researchers noted.

And a previous study found increased activity in the hippocampus — a memory center of the brain — for 48 hours after high-intensity interval training on an exercise bike.

For the new study, 76 participants wore wristband activity trackers for eight days to monitor how much time they spent either being sedentary or performing physical activity. The trackers also monitored the people’s sleep.

Researchers also had the participants take cognitive tests each day, to track how their activities the day before might have affected their brain power.

More moderate or vigorous physical activity appeared to improve both their short-term working memory the next day, as well as their longer-term episodic memory of events.

More sleep also was linked to better working and episodic memory, as well as their psychomotor speed — a measure of how quickly a person detects and responds to their environment.

On the other hand, more couch-potato time meant worse working memory the next day.

The findings were published Tuesday in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity .

“This study provides evidence that the immediate cognitive benefits of exercise may last longer than we thought. It also suggests good sleep quality separately contributes to cognitive performance,” said researcher Andrew Steptoe , head of behavioral science and health research with the University College London’s Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care.

“However, we can’t establish from this study whether these short-term boosts to cognitive performance contribute to longer term cognitive health and though there is plenty of evidence to suggest physical activity might slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk, it’s still a matter of some debate,” he added.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on exercise and brain health .

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Looking to eat more foods that promote cognitive health? You’re in luck. In an insightful TikTok video, a brain health expert revealed nine foods and drinks that can help boost a healthier brain and “grow new brain cells.” Neuroscientist and popular TikTok personality Robert Love dedicates his expertise to Alzheimer’s prevention through a blend of scientific inquiry and practical dietary guidance.

He broke down why blueberries, chia seeds, dark chocolate and other foods are surprisngly greata for your brain health this winter. At the start of the video, Love explained that he intended to share “nine foods and the nutrients that help produce BDNF,” or the protein, brain-derived neutrotrophic factor. These foods, he noted, were also approved by “Dr. Shintani from Harvard.” 9 Foods To ‘Grow New Brain Cells,’ According To A Cognitive Health Expert

1. Blueberries

Blueberries were the first food that Love suggested. He claimed that these fruits “provide anthocyanins,” which are water-soluble pigments that contribute to the red, purple, or blue hues of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

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Love pointed out that because blueberries contain nutrients like antioxidants that can help protect brain cells and enhance cognitive function, they are excellent for enhancing brain health. 2. Red Grapes

According to Love, red grapes have antioxidants that improve memory and lower oxidative stress, which can aggravate neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Grape polyphenols may aid in brain function and have antioxidant qualities.

Additionally, grape seed extract might help stop the buildup of amyloid beta in cells, which could stop plaques from forming. 3. Green Tea

Love said that green tea “provides epigallocatechin, gallate or EG CG. No. 4,” a potent antioxidant compound that is thought to be the most prevalent catechin in green tea and is frequently researched for its possible health advantages, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. 4. Coffee

Love said that coffee “provides chlorogenic acid,” a polyphenol compound present in coffee and black tea as well as other plants, fruits, and vegetables.

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He hinted that it has numerous potential health advantages, such as being an antioxidant and helping with neuropathological conditions by lowering the production of ROS, preventing oxidation, and inhibiting neuroinflammation. 5. Turmeric

Turmeric “provides curcumin,” Love explains. According to Love, curcumin, a substance present in turmeric, has a number of potential advantages for the brain, such as lowering inflammation, raising docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is crucial for brain growth and function, enhancing memory, possessing antioxidant qualities, and more. 6. Chia Seeds

As Love noted, these seeds and flax seeds are thought to be brain-healthy due to their omega-3s, fiber, and antioxidants, which can support mental health, inflammation reduction, and cognitive function. Additionally, they are a good source of amino acids and plant protein. 7. Dark Chocolate

This treat can provide “polyphenols and procyanidins.” As Love has stated on his channel, flavonols in dark chocolate improve brain function, including memory, visual-spatial awareness, and reaction time. One explanation for this could be that flavonols improve blood flow to the brain, though studies are still being conducted. 8. Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

“Lion’s mane mushroom has hericenones,” Love said, regarding the mushrooms often used in coffee. These substances have an impact on the release of nerve growth factor (NGF), which controls brain cell growth and survival.

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Additionally, there is some evidence from earlier epidemiological studies that eating mushrooms may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia as people age. 9. Bakopa Monieri

Love also suggested that the perennial creeping herb Bacopa monnieri is great for the brain. It is indigenous to the wetlands of North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and southern and eastern India.

Common names for it include herb of grace, brahmi, thyme-leafed gratiola, Indian pennywort, and water hyssop. Bacopa has been shown in numerous clinical studies to improve verbal learning, delayed word recall, memory acquisition, and anxiety reduction. Some have characterized it as a soothing cognitive enhancer. The majority of the herb’s pharmacological effects are thought to be caused by the triterpenoid saponins. The Bottom Line

Love concluded his video by noting that “all of these nutrients stimulate the production of BDNF.”

Overall, making your cognitive health a priority and revamping your diet will allow you to improve your memory, focus, creativity, mood, sleep, and more–not to mention lower your risk of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Advertisement About Our Ads

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Brighteon Broadcast News, Dec 10, 2024 New study proves that jabbed humans are WALKING BIOWEAPONS that shed toxins to others nearby 12/10/2024 // Laura Harris // 360 Views

Tags: autism , Autism spectrum disorder , badhealth , badpollution , badscience , brain damaged , brain health , breakthrough , children’s health , discoveries , Ecology , environment , health science , Mind , mind body science , neurological , real investigations , research , toxic chemicals , toxins Parents with high chemical intolerance are significantly more likely to have children diagnosed with autism (nearly six times) and ADHD (more than twice).

The study found higher odds ratios compared to a 2015 study, with mothers with chemical intolerance having 5.29 and 3.18 times the odds of having a child with autism and ADHD, respectively.

Environmental toxicants, including fossil fuel derivatives, pesticides and biogenic toxicants, can trigger chemical intolerance, leading to immune system dysregulation and potential genetic effects across generations.

Experts emphasize the importance of epigenetics in understanding diseases like autism, highlighting the impact of environmental factors on gene expression.

The study challenges the view that autism is purely genetic, instead pointing to environmental toxins, immune system dysregulation and epigenetic factors as key contributors to the disorder.

A new study published in the Journal of Xenobiotics has revealed that parents with high chemical intolerance are nearly six times more likely to have children diagnosed with autism and more than twice as likely to have children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The study, which replicates findings from a similar study in 2015, shows higher odds ratios than before. Mothers with chemical intolerance now have 5.29 and 3.18 times the odds of having a child with autism (up from 3.01) and ADHD (up from 2.3), respectively. The increase likely stems from heightened environmental toxin exposure, expanding diagnostic criteria and cumulative chemical burdens. The study also revealed a high autism prevalence of 12.3 percent among participants, much higher than the reported 1 in 36 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

According to research scientist and author James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D., this rise is attributed to factors such as immune system dysregulation caused by chemical exposures and adjuvants like aluminum in vaccines.

“A combination of increased environmental toxicant exposures, expanding diagnostic criteria and increased exposure to myriad corporate toxins that induce cell death via ER stress [endoplasmic reticulum stress] and the unfolded protein response. The contribution of an expanded vaccination schedule, particularly involving adjuvants like aluminum, is known to be an environmental cause of ER stress and cell death and thus has neurotoxic, neurodevelopmental and immunomodulatory effects,” Lyons-Weiler said.

The study also identified mast cells — immune cells in connective tissue — as a potential agent for chemical intolerance. This intolerance could be triggered by fossil fuel derivatives, pesticides, antibiotics and biogenic toxicants like toxic mold and algae.

Mast cells can undergo gene activation or deactivation, with effects transmitted across generations. This process, called Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance, involves initial exposure to toxicants followed by triggering symptoms after subsequent exposures.

“The study’s authors appropriately highlight environmental toxicants as key contributors but avoid injected toxicants like mercury and aluminum in their discussion, despite the past studies in which these compounds are also shown to cause ER stress and cell death. They could have further emphasized the role of cumulative and synergistic effects among the various classes of factors: the more toxicants kids are exposed to, the fewer vaccines they can handle and vice versa,” Lyons-Weiler said.

Moreover, the study links the increase in autism cases to “toxic exposure theory.” Dr. Karl Jablonowski, a senior research scientist at Children’s Health Defense , described the “dramatically increased exposure to toxins” such as pesticides, plastics, vaccines, pharmaceuticals and off-gassing materials as key contributors. Jablonowski also stressed epigenetics, the study of how environmental factors influence gene expression, as a major paradigm shift in understanding diseases like autism.

Lyons-Weiler warned that as toxicants in the environment increase , genetic predisposition may become less relevant, with all individuals potentially vulnerable. “Though we have our instructions for life in our DNA, how those instructions are used depends on epigenetics. Given the toxic soup we live in, the idea that a toxic exposure event in one generation can affect the genetic expression of future generations is scary.” Experts: Autism is not a purely genetic disorder

Autism experts claim that the study has challenged the long-standing view that autism is purely a genetic disorder.

Biologist Dr. Christina Parks pointed to the focus of the study on immune system dysregulation. She described it as a critical factor in disorders previously considered purely psychological or neurological. “Every day, our bodies have to decide whether to ignore particles we come into contact with or to attack these particles. Repeated chemical exposure can throw the immune system into a frenzy, such that it starts attacking things that it previously tolerated,” she said. (Related: NEW STUDY: Autism is not just a neurological condition but a whole system disorder driven by environmental toxins .)

John Gilmore, executive director of the Autism Action Network, echoed this perspective. He stated that autism occurs in genetically vulnerable individuals who are exposed to environmental factors. “We know there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic, which has been the overwhelmingly dominant area of autism causation research. We also know that people with autism are much more likely to come from families with histories of auto-immune disorders.”

In line with this, Lyons-Weiler noted that both genetics and environmental toxicants contribute to autism risk, with evidence stressing chemical intolerance’s role in neurodevelopmental issues.

Read more stories about autism at AutismTruthNews.com .

Watch the video below to learn more about the 2nd Brighteon Autism Conference Spring 2023: End The Autism Epidemic .

This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com . More related stories:

These SEVEN studies point to the inescapable conclusion: VACCINES DO CAUSE AUTISM and other chronic health conditions .

Over 300 pages of evidence from the CDC show that vaccines cause autism .

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Working out can help improve your memory for up to 24 hours, a new study says. (Getty Images) Decades of research has found that exercise is helpful for overall health and fitness, doing everything from lowering your risk of heart disease to helping you sleep better. According to a new study, working out could also help boost your memory — and the results may stick around for up to a day after your sweat session.

The small study , published today in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, analyzed data from 76 people aged 50 to 83 who wore activity trackers for eight days and took cognitive tests daily. The researchers discovered that people who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on any given day ended up performing better in memory tests the next day.

Being active in general also seemed to help. People who spent less time than usual sitting and logged six hours more of sleep also had better scores on memory tests.

The findings could have big implications for everyone, including older adults “where it’s very important to understand factors that could maintain daily cognitive function,” Mikaela Bloomberg , lead study author and senior research fellow at University College London, tells Yahoo Life.

But what’s behind this link, and how much exercise do you need to do to get the benefits? Doctors explain. Why might exercise boost your brain?

It’s important to point out that this isn’t the first study to link exercise with better memory. Previous research has found that people performed better on memory tests in the hours after they exercised, but many studies haven’t pinned down how long those perks last.

Doctors say there are a few different things that could be behind the memory boost from exercise. “Exercise leads to increased blood flow and stimulation of neurotransmitters thought to contribute to improvements in cognitive function,” Bloomberg says. ( Neurotransmitters help to move messages from one nerve cell to the next and help with memory and thinking.)

Exercise can also prompt the birth of new neurons in the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain that’s essential for memory and learning, Dr. Vernon Williams , sports neurologist and founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, tells Yahoo Life. “Exercise also promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections and reorganize itself,” he says.

Exercise can even help lower inflammation in the brain, which is linked to cognitive decline, Williams says. How much exercise do you need to do?

The researchers didn’t find a hard number for how much exercise is needed to get the brain benefits. “We just looked at when people did more physical activity than their usual,” Bloomberg says. “Regardless of their current level of physical activity, doing more was better.” So if you regularly work out for 30 minutes, tacking on an additional five minutes of exercise may help you feel mentally sharp over the next 24 hours.

In the study, doing more moderate or vigorous physical activity than usual was linked to better working memory and memory of events the next day. Also worth noting: Spending time being more sedentary than usual was linked to worse working memory the next day. Why it matters

Bloomberg stresses that her study was small, which makes it difficult to take too much away from the findings without more research. But she also says that there could be real-world ways to use the results to your advantage.

For older adults, having a workout routine may help to boost memory and keep people sharp as they age. And if you have an upcoming test or big presentation, making sure to exercise at some point the day before “couldn’t hurt” when it comes to enhancing your memory, Bloomberg says.

While this particular study found that working out more than usual had an impact, Williams says it’s important to have a consistent exercise routine for brain health and memory too. “There is also likely some cognitive stimulation associated with regular physical activity that may also play a beneficial role,” he says. What’s the best form of exercise for memory?

This study found that you don’t need to do anything extreme to get a memory boost from exercise. Bloomberg says that exercises that fall into the “moderate intensity” or higher category, such as brisk walking, cycling or jogging, helped to boost memory.

However, other research has found more intense exercises can also help. A study recently published in the journal Communications Psychology , for example, determined that cycling and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) were most likely to help boost memory, attention, executive function, information processing and other cognitive functions.

Overall, Bloomberg says research makes a case for staying active as you get older. “There are many health reasons why older adults should integrate physical activity into their daily lives, and there is certainly evidence to suggest that doing so might contribute to maintenance of cognitive function as we age,” she says.

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Tags: alternative medicine , Alzheimer’s disease , brain function , brain health , cognitive function , cognitive health , dementia , goodhealth , goodmedicine , goodscience , health science , herbal medicine , Herbs , Huntington’s disease , natural cures , natural health , natural medicine , Parkinson’s Disease , phytonutrients , rue In the search for solutions to tackle neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, scientists are exploring the natural world for inspiration. One plant making waves in this field is Ruta graveolens or rue – a hardy, shrubby herb native to the Mediterranean. Long celebrated in traditional medicine for its diverse medicinal properties, rue is now being investigated for its potential to promote and restore brain health and function.

Rue has a rich history in traditional and folk medicine where it has been used to treat ailments ranging from aching pain and skin conditions to neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

Researchers are focusing on rue’s impact on the central nervous system (CNS), aiming to uncover how its chemical compounds could support brain health and combat the mechanisms behind debilitating diseases.

Rue owes much of its potential to a powerful metabolite called “rutin.” Discovered in 1936 and sometimes referred to as vitamin P, rutin is a flavonoid known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These attributes make rutin a promising candidate for addressing the oxidative stress and inflammation linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, rutin has been found to inhibit harmful enzymes, protect neurons from toxins and promote cell survival. Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline, caused in part by the death of cholinergic neurons and the buildup of harmful beta-amyloid plaques. Rue and rutin show promise in counteracting these effects. (Related: Coconut oil improves brain function in Alzheimer’s patients .)

Boosts acetylcholine levels. Rue acts as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, helping maintain levels of acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter vital for learning and memory. This mechanism is similar to that of drugs like donepezil, but without the gastrointestinal side effects often seen with these medications.

Fights plaques and inflammation. Studies show that rutin reduces beta-amyloid plaques in animal models, while decreasing inflammation markers like pro-inflammatory cytokines. This dual action could slow disease progression and improve neuronal survival.

Improves memory. Animal studies suggest that rutin enhances learning and memory – likely through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It may also activate microglial cells (immune cells in the brain) to clear harmful proteins. Parkinson’s disease

In Parkinson’s disease, the gradual loss of dopamine-producing neurons leads to motor symptoms, such as tremors and rigidity. Rue and its metabolite rutin have demonstrated promising effects in preclinical studies.

Inhibits harmful enzymes. One major contributor to Parkinson’s is monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) – an enzyme that breaks down dopamine. Rue’s ability to inhibit MAO-B helps preserve dopamine levels – similar to existing Parkinson’s treatments like selegiline. But rue’s benefits do not stop there – rutin also reduces oxidative stress and prevents the formation of harmful byproducts that damage neurons.

Protects dopaminergic neurons. In animal studies, oral rutin administration protected brain cells from toxins that mimic Parkinson’s symptoms. Notably, treated animals showed improved movement and brain health – suggesting rutin might slow disease progression.

Enhances neural plasticity. Rue extracts promote neurite outgrowth – a process crucial for repairing and forming connections between neurons. This suggests a role in enhancing the brain’s adaptability and resilience . Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease is a genetic disorder that causes movement problems and cognitive decline. Research into rue’s impact in Huntington’s, while less extensive, has yielded intriguing findings.

Counteracts toxins. In animal models, rutin protected neurons from toxic substances that mimic Huntington’s disease symptoms – improving cell survival and reducing damage.

Supports cellular health. A study using the model organism C. elegans found that rutin delayed aging, reduced neuronal cell death and activated pathways involved in cellular repair. These findings point to rutin’s potential for promoting brain health. Neural plasticity and cell survival

One of the most exciting aspects of rue is its ability to influence signaling pathways that govern neural plasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections. Rue extracts have been shown to:

Activates growth pathways. By stimulating signaling molecules like Akt and ERK, rue promotes cell survival and differentiation. These pathways are essential for repairing damage in conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s.

Promotes differentiation of neural cells. Rue extract encourages undifferentiated neural cells to develop into specialized neurons – a critical step in brain repair.

As researchers uncover more about its role in promoting neural health, rue may one day become a valued ally in the fight against brain diseases .

Watch this video about the herbal medicine benefits, uses and side effects of rue . This video is from the Holistic Herbalist channel on Brighteon.com . More related stories:

Studies show these three herbal medicines can reverse DEMENTIA .

Studies suggest these nutrients can help lower your dementia risk .

Here’s how fermented foods can support brain health .

Sources include:

PMC.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

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