Getting older is inevitible. As your body ages, so does your brain.
Recent work in our lab (Gordon et al., 2008) has shown anatomical
differences between young and old adults by analyzing images of the
brain. The data indicate that there are numerous areas of tissue loss throughout the brain.
Tissue lost with age
The good news is that many
individuals are able to remain healthy and active in their old age.
Aerobic exercise has numerous benifits on your overall health. It turns
out that one of these benefits includes preserving your brain. Older
adults with higher levels of aerobic fitness had better preserved
grey matter than their less active counterparts. In addition, greater
years of education was related to better preserved white matter, the
fibers that connect various regions of the brain.
White Matter Perserved in old with Higher Levels of Education
Grey Matter Preserved in older adults with higher levels of fitness
This
research, and more like it, have consistently show a positive
relationship between aerobic exercise, cognition, and brain health. For
a copy of the article click here