Recent findings have linked exercising regularly with increased cerebral blood flow and a greater number of blood vessels in the brain.While it has been shown in the past that aerobic exercise might reduce cognitive decline, this study demonstrated a possible explanation: changes in the brain’s blood vessels and blood flow.
The researchers recruited 12 healthy adults, age 60 to 76. Six of the adults participated in aerobic exercise for three or more hours per week over 10 years, and six exercised less than one hour per week. All of the volunteers underwent MRI to determine cerebral blood flow and MR angiography to depict blood vessels in the brain.
Compared to the inactive group, the people who exercised regularly had more small blood vessels carrying blood through the brain, and the blood flowed in a more normal pattern.
Yes, the increased blood flow is why caffeine and coffee gives us the brain boost that it does. As for exercise, if you have ambulatory, age, or health issues that limit the amount and types of exercise, you can gain some of this benefit by doing floor and sitting exercises like stretching and yoga. The increased blood flow to the brain as we lay down gives you a head start of sorts, compared to say running. And for those with hydrocephalus and CNS shunt, exercising can help to reduce complaints associated with shunt overdrainage.
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