Researchers from the University of Arizona compared the brain scans of young male cross country runners to those who haven\u2019t engaged in regular physical activity for at least a year. Participants were aged 18-25 and had comparable body mass index and educational levels.<\/p>\n
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The runners, overall, showed greater functional connectivity \u2013 or connections between distinct brain regions \u2013 within several areas of the brain, including the frontal cortex, which is important for cognitive functions such as planning, decision-making and the ability to switch attention between tasks.<\/p>\n
The study was designed by UA running expert David Raichlen, an associate professor of anthropology, and UA psychology professor Gene Alexander, who studies brain aging and Alzheimer\u2019s disease as a member of the UA\u2019s Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things that drove this collaboration was that there has been a recent proliferation of studies, over the last 15 years, that have shown that physical activity and exercise can have a beneficial impact on the brain, but most of that work has been in older adults,\u201d said co author David Raichlen associate professor of anthropology<\/p>\n
\u201cThis question of what\u2019s occurring in the brain at younger ages hasn\u2019t really been explored in much depth, and it\u2019s important. Not only are we interested in what\u2019s going on in the brains of young adults, but we know that there are things that you do across your lifespan that can impact what happens as you age, so it\u2019s important to understand what\u2019s happening in the brain at these younger ages.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese activities that people consider repetitive actually involve many complex cognitive functions \u2014 like planning and decision-making \u2014 that may have effects on the brain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since functional connectivity often appears to be altered in aging adults, and particularly in those with Alzheimer\u2019s or other neurodegenerative diseases, it\u2019s an important measure to consider, Alexander said. And what researchers learn from the brains of young adults could have implications for the possible prevention of age-related cognitive decline later on.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the key questions that these results raise is whether what we\u2019re seeing in young adults \u2014 in terms of the connectivity differences \u2014 imparts some benefit later in life,\u201d said Alexander. \u201cThe areas of the brain where we saw more connectivity in runners are also the areas that are impacted as we age, so it really raises the question of whether being active as a young adult could be potentially beneficial and perhaps afford some resilience against the effects of aging and disease.\u201d<\/p>\n
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