By John Gideon
When you catch your
breath from the Alliance for Biking & Walking’s retreat and
ProWalk/ProBike you should read the September 15th story in the New York
Times titled “Can Exercise Make Kids Smarter?”
You can find the
story at this url: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/
story at this url: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/
The story, by Gretchen Reynolds, summarizes two recently published studies by the University of
Illinois on “how fitness affects the immature human brain.” One study looked at
the affect of exercise on basal ganglia, “a key part of the brain that aids in
maintaining attention and ‘executive control,’ or the ability to coordinate
actions and thoughts crisply.” The result: fitter kids generally performed
better on treadmill runs. The fitter kids had “significantly larger basal
ganglia.” (After the kids exercised they scanned their brains with MRI
technology.)
Illinois on “how fitness affects the immature human brain.” One study looked at
the affect of exercise on basal ganglia, “a key part of the brain that aids in
maintaining attention and ‘executive control,’ or the ability to coordinate
actions and thoughts crisply.” The result: fitter kids generally performed
better on treadmill runs. The fitter kids had “significantly larger basal
ganglia.” (After the kids exercised they scanned their brains with MRI
technology.)
The second study focused on the
affect of exercise on the hippocampus, “a structure in the brain’s medial
temporal lobes” responsible for complex memory. The study showed that the
fittest kids had “heftier hippocampi.”
affect of exercise on the hippocampus, “a structure in the brain’s medial
temporal lobes” responsible for complex memory. The study showed that the
fittest kids had “heftier hippocampi.”
According
to the story, the two studies together indicate that “If exercise is responsible for
increasing the size of these regions and strengthening the connection between
them, being fit may ‘enhance neurocognition’ in young
people, the authors concluded.”
to the story, the two studies together indicate that “If exercise is responsible for
increasing the size of these regions and strengthening the connection between
them, being fit may ‘enhance neurocognition’ in young
people, the authors concluded.”
The story then goes on to sum up scientific research on
this subject:
this subject:
“Past studies from the University of Illinois
found that ‘just 20 minutes of
walking‘ before a test raised children’s
scores, even if the children were otherwise unfit or overweight, says Charles
Hillman, a professor of kinesiology at the university and the senior author of
many of the recent studies.
But
it’s the neurological impact of sustained aerobic
fitness in young people that is especially compelling.“
And, finally, this conclusion: “But
for now, the takeaway is clear. ‘More aerobic exercise’ for young
people…”