Looks like adults will have another reason to engage in aerobic exercise aside from getting physically fit. A neuroscientist has found that aerobic exercise can help the brain retain or enhance its sharpness, above all other benefits.

Dr. Wendy Suzuki may have taken the path to living a healthy lifestyle by enroling in regular gym classes. Unbeknownst to her, she is bound to discover the link between exercise and brain cell development, Sydney Morning Herald has learned.

Like Us on Facebook

Though the findings of her study—"Looking at the effects of aerobic exercise on memory in healthy adults"—have yet to be published since she is currently working on it, Dr. Suzuki has already patronized and is strongly encouraging adults to do aerobic exercise if they want to enhance their brains.

The nearly 40-year-old neuroscientist has even authored the book, "Healthy Brain, Happy Life," in her desire to advocate awareness among adults that by exercising their bodies, they also do something good for the brain, according to Parade.

But, doing something good is just an understatement. Dr. Suzuki has noted the effects of aerobic exercise to the most vital organ and there isn't just one but three favorable effects.

First, brain cells grow in number, and this increase in the number of neurons is very favorable since the brain stores so much memory. Second, the connections between neurons multiply, which explains why the memory is enhanced when the body is exercising. Finally, Dr. Suzuki noted that aerobic exercise boosts the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF, the factor that makes the second benefit possible since it helps brain cells establish connections among themselves.

Apart from the mind-enhancing benefits, Dr. Suzuki also claims exercise has a big potential in helping people overcome their addictions, reports Stuff.co.nz.

According to Dr. Suzuki, exercise also stimulates reward pathways in the human brain that drugs are capable of activating. Hence, addiction is easily overcome by patients when they engage their bodies to various ways of exercising. 

In children, physical exercise is said to have three major effects: enhance memory, improve concentration and boost academic performance in school.

Tagsbrain, exercise, Cells, Neuroscience, Science