Cardio is the best exercise for the brain- At least in rats

[Nelson Vergel]

Those rats that had jogged on wheels showed robust levels of neurogenesis. Their hippocampal tissue teemed with new neurons, far more than in the brains of the sedentary animals. The greater the distance that a runner had covered during the experiment, the more new cells its brain now contained.

There were far fewer new neurons in the brains of the animals that had completed high-intensity interval training. They showed somewhat higher amounts than in the sedentary animals but far less than in the distance runners.

And the weight-training rats, although they were much stronger at the end of the experiment than they had been at the start, showed no discernible augmentation of neurogenesis. Their hippocampal tissue looked just like that of the animals that had not exercised at all.

Obviously, rats are not people. But the implications of these findings are provocative. They suggest, said Miriam Nokia, a research fellow at the University of Jyvaskyla who led the study, that “sustained aerobic exercise might be most beneficial for brain health also in humans.”

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/which-type-of-exercise-is-best-for-the-brain/?emc=eta1&_r=0

 

[Vince]

Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills - Harvard Health Blog https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...ve-memory-thinking-skills-Harvard-Health-Blog

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Done in humans and contradicting the first post

Lifting Weights, Twice a Week, May Aid the Brain

 

[GEORGE TOULIATOS]

Perhaps it also has to do with cerebral cortex blood flow

 

[GA8314]

Done in humans and contradicting the first post

Lifting Weights, Twice a Week, May Aid the Brain

Bottom Line: Do both! haha

I recently started doing a bit more aerobic treadmill stuff. I DO feel great after a 2 mile run on the treadmill. I'm not crazy about high impact aerobics for joints but I do feel great afterwards.

I'm going to start adding in more aerobic exercise even if at the expense of some weights, but will always do isotonic stuff like push ups and squat jumps. Plank exercises are also something I'm adding in for core strength.