Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center CIMCYC - University of Granada
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Professor at the University of Granada (UGR), lecturer in the Master's Program in Research in Physical Activity and Sport at the UGR and director of the research group "Brain and Human Cognition" at the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC)
Professor in the Department of Experimental Psychology and Director of the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) at the University of Granada
Various studies have shown that exercise benefits the brain. Now, an international team has studied in mice how physical activity affects the brain and how these changes influence the effects of exercise. The research, published in Neuron, has shown that physical activity causes brain changes in a region of the hypothalamus involved in how the body uses energy and in regulating blood sugar. If these neurons were blocked immediately after exercise, the animals showed no improvement in endurance or metabolism with training. The authors suggest that activating these neurons may help the body recover faster, allowing other parts, such as the muscles, lungs, and heart, to adapt more quickly to more intense workouts.
An international study with 72 participants has found that greater connectivity between certain brain areas is associated with greater mathematical computational ability. In addition, weak electrical stimulation in a particular area was associated with improved computational learning in volunteers with lower connectivity. The results are published in the journal Plos Biology.