Another easy way to avoid cognitive decline

When it comes to the hippocampus, size really does matter.

The hippocampus is the area of your brain where learning occurs and new memories are created. When hippocampus volume is large, your memory stays sharp. But when volume drops, cognition quality drops off too.

And don’t look now, but your hippocampus volume is more likely dropping than rising.

Don’t worry–that’s normal. Once you reach middle age, you’ll lose about one percent or more of your hippocampus volume yearly.

But you can reduce that volume loss, and maybe even reverse it to gain a little volume.

In yesterday’s e-Alert I told you how your brain actually creates new neurons when you’re learning new things. And if you continue to challenge your intellect, those new neurons will thrive.

AND the volume of your hippocampus will increase.

But who knew there were such easy natural ways to bump up hippocampus size?

Today I came across a study that compared brain scans in 120 older adults. Half the group walked three times each week for a year, and the other half did non-aerobic exercises.

Results: Hippocampus volume increased in the walking group, but dropped at a normal pace in the “other exercise” group.

The volume increase among the walkers wasn’t large, but the fact that they gained at all was a huge plus. Especially when you consider that all they did was head out the door and go for a short walk.

Source:
“Fitness: A Walk to Remember? Study Says Yes” Paula Span, New York Times, 2/7/11, nytimes.com