{"id":180182143,"date":"2010-09-17T10:35:43","date_gmt":"2010-09-17T10:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=180182143"},"modified":"2010-09-17T10:35:43","modified_gmt":"2010-09-17T10:35:43","slug":"can-exercise-make-kids-smarter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=180182143","title":{"rendered":"Can Exercise Make Kids Smarter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By John Gideon<\/p>\n

When you catch your
\nbreath from the Alliance for Biking & Walking’s retreat and
\nProWalk\/ProBike you should read the September 15th story in the New York
\nTimes<\/em> titled “Can Exercise Make Kids Smarter?”<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n
You can find the
\nstory at this url: https:\/\/well.blogs.nytimes.com\/2010\/09\/15\/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n
The story, by Gretchen Reynolds,<\/span> summarizes two recently published studies by the University of
\nIllinois on “how fitness affects the immature human brain.” One study looked at
\nthe affect of exercise on basal ganglia, “a key part of the brain that aids in
\nmaintaining attention and ‘executive control,’ or the ability to coordinate
\nactions and thoughts crisply.” The result: fitter kids generally performed
\nbetter on treadmill runs. The fitter kids had “significantly larger basal
\nganglia.” (After the kids exercised they scanned their brains with MRI
\ntechnology.)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n
The second study<\/span> focused on the
\naffect of exercise on the hippocampus, “a structure in the brain’s medial
\ntemporal lobes” responsible for complex memory. The study showed that the
\nfittest kids had “heftier hippocampi.” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n
According
\nto the story, the two studies together indicate that “If exercise is responsible for
\nincreasing the size of these regions and strengthening the connection between
\nthem, being fit <\/span><\/b>may<\/span><\/span><\/b> ‘enhance neurocognition’ in young
\npeople, the authors concluded<\/span><\/b>.”
\n<\/span><\/span>
\n <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
The story then goes on to sum up scientific research on
\nthis subject: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n


\n“<\/span>Past studies from the University of Illinois
\nfound that ‘<\/span>just 20 minutes of
\nwalking‘<\/span> before a test raised children\u2019s
\nscores, even if the children were otherwise unfit or overweight, says Charles
\nHillman, a professor of kinesiology at the university and the senior author of
\nmany of the recent studies<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/span>
\n <\/span><\/span>
\nBut
\nit\u2019s the neurological impact of sustained aerobic
\nfitness in young people that is especially compelling.“<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span> 
\nAnd, finally, this conclusion: “But
\nfor now, the takeaway is clear. ‘More aerobic exercise’ for young
\npeople…”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\/   The story, by Gretchen Reynolds, summarizes two recently published … <\/p>\n

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