Janka Bond

Walking Improves Brain Cells Connectivity



Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010

by Janka Bond
http://www.thingstodosandiego.blogspot.com

I am a new psychology student and feel very intrigued about the new information I come across in the process of my studies. As we began talking about the biological side of psychology in class, an article that I recently came across on Science Daily.com caught my attention. The article talks about a recent research which confirmed that walking improves connectivity of cell networks in the brain of an older adult. As we age, the communication between brain networks decreases and our brain function generally declines. We are all aware of the benefits physical fitness provides and of the links between physical activity and improved mental health.

The study in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found connection between walking and increased connectivity in specific regions of the DMN – the default mode network. DMN is one of the brain circuits and dominates brain activity when a person is least focused on the external environment, for example when one is day-dreaming. Healthy connectivity in the DMN region is also linked to higher performance in cognitive tasks such as prioritizing or multitasking.

Healthy connectivity in a young brain means that when a person starts attending to tasks which require focus on the outside world, the activity in their DMN area in the brain is promptly reduced, allowing the other brain networks to get activated. For older people, and people with a disorder such as Alzheimer’s disease or schizophrenia, this is not such an easy task.

The study followed 65 adults, aged 59 to 80 who engaged in regular walking for one year. None of the participants were physically active before the study. The researchers measured the participants` brain connectivity (using MRI) as well as their performance completing cognitive tasks. The testing was done at the beginning of the experiment, and one year later, after completion of the study. The findings were compared to a group of adults who exercised to tone and stretch muscles for the same time period, but did not walk.

The results demonstrated significantly improved DMN connectivity in the brains of the walkers compared to the non-walkers. Other brain circuits connectivity also increased in the walking group and they did better in performing the cognitive task than the non-walking participants.

While always making effort to be physically active to at least some extent, I have never been too keen on strenuous exercise. Relatively recently, my new husband and I discovered our mutual passion for walking and we have been exploring different routes in our neighbourhood. On average, we cover around 6 miles and we walk at least twice a week. Besides the physical (and mental) benefits, walking together is a good opportunity to catch up and have interesting conversations. I guess I am still far away from being considered an older adult, but I am glad to hear that even with moderate exercise, I am improving my chances of ‘’staying connected’’. It’s time to put on the running shoes!

Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2010, August 27). Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function. ScienceDaily . Retrieved September 4, 2010
Janka currently works at a community college in Chula Vista, California. She has always had passion for writing but only recently decided to fully explore it and progressively engage in it. Relationships, in general as well as her own, have always been intriguing and inspiring her, so she will probably explore this topic in most of her work. She enjoys posting articles on JamesandJanka, a website dedicated to couples in San Diego area and everywhere.

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