Exercise Prevents Brain Shrinkage

Exercise has been shown to be good for the heart. New research confirms it can also benefit the brain. Aerobic exercise reversed brain shrinkage, especially of the hippocampus, a structure associated with memory. The study included 120 people between their late 50s and early 80s who were sedentary. Those randomly assigned to exercise walked 40 minutes three times a week, while the others attended attended yoga and stretching sessions. After about a year, the scientists found through magnetic resonance imaging that the hippocampus in the walkers was larger, while it had shrunk in those just doing stretching.
[PNAS , online Jan. 31, 2011]