We are big proponents of physical activity for a multitude of reasons and research out of the University of California, Irvine and Japan’s University of Tsukuba confirms yet another benefit: improved memory function, even with very light exercise. Exercise increases “connectivity between the hippocampal dentate gyrus and cortical areas linked to detailed memory processing.”
The study consisted of 36 healthy adults who, after only 10 minutes of mild exertion, had significant cognitive improvements. The part of the brain that is vital in the production of new memories, the hippocampus, can be one of the areas that begin to deteriorate with age. The director of UCI’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory states that “What we observed is that these 10-minute periods of exercise showed results immediately afterward… Even short walking breaks throughout the day may have considerable effects on improving memory and cognition.”
The Study Cited:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180924153424.htm