Want to Improve Your Brain? Start the New Year Running! Here's Why... by Mei Marcie

Fitness
7 years ago

Want to Improve Your Brain? Start the New Year Running! Here's Why...

Your body may not be the only thing that benefits when you run for fitness. Research by a team at the University of Arizona examined the impact on the brain of repetitive athletic activities requiring little motor-control precision. They compared the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans of adult male cross-country runners, alongside adult male non-athletes, aged 18-25.

The team found that the group of athlete runners' MRI scans showed more connections between different parts of the brain. For instance, cognitive functions, including the ability to switch attention between tasks, planning and decision-making, were improved in runners. This could be that high-speed running requires a combination of complex, sequential motor tasks, multi-tasking, working memory and object recognition. 

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Read more via MNT and see the full study.

Run for Your Health: The Effects of Running on Bone Marrow

Running Helps More Than Your Body! What a Study Revealed!

Running for Fitness: A Foolproof Guide to Ease Into Running (Run, Momma, Run!)

Run Your Way to Health: 4 Ways Running Can Help You Reach Your Health Goals

start discussion

Please login to comment.

recommended tips

Gluten-free Diets: 3 Things You Need to Know Before Going Gluten-Free

Food Allergies & Coronavirus: A Registered Dietitian's Guide to Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Skip the Potato Chips: How to Prep So You Grab Healthier Snacks!

The Health Benefits of Cinnamon: Why You Need to Sprinkle This Spice on Everything