This is Your Brain on Endurance, High Intensity or Weights

[Ego]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/1 ... the-brain/

Those rats that had jogged on wheels showed robust levels of neurogenesis. Their hippocampal tissue teemed with new neurons, far more than in the brains of the sedentary animals. The greater the distance that a runner had covered during the experiment, the more new cells its brain now contained.

There were far fewer new neurons in the brains of the animals that had completed high-intensity interval training. They showed somewhat higher amounts than in the sedentary animals but far less than in the distance runners.

And the weight-training rats, although they were much stronger at the end of the experiment than they had been at the start, showed no discernible augmentation of neurogenesis. Their hippocampal tissue looked just like that of the animals that had not exercised at all.

[Dragline]

Well, I don't plan on climbing any walls with weights attached to my tail, or any other appendages for that matter. Does anyone really believe that what is described simulates human weight training (or other exercise) in any way, shape or form?

This is a pretty worthless study with lousy speculative conclusions by a reporter who is trying too hard, or more likely was facing a deadline to write something. It was not worthy of an article at all.

I'll wait until they run a study using actual people doing exercises that people actually do. But I would expect that if I really want to improve the cognitive part of my brain it will involve activities that use more of the cognitive part of my brain.

[jennypenny]

There was a study done in the last few years on humans. Grrr, I can't find it now. It showed that endurance exercise, which IIRC they defined as more than 30 minutes, had a significant effect on neural functioning compared with anaerobic and HIIT training. The key seemed to be the endurance part of it. Most interesting to me was that the study showed an increase in creativity specifically two hours post-workout.

Here's one article I found but I know it's not the one I'm remembering, and the wiki article. I'll keep looking for the study.

There seems to be a need for all three types of exercise, especially for us old folks. Strength training keeps your body in good enough shape to exercise and preserves your musculoskeletal system. HIIT improves aerobic capacity and motor skills/performance, and endurance exercise improves neurological functioning. I wonder what the best split is then? Two days of each and a day of rest? Combining ST and endurance/HIIT days? I wish someone would hurry up and figure this stuff out already lol.

[Dragline]

If you can find one that compares walking to the other exercises, that would be interesting. Or something focused on the U-shaped curve mentioned in the article.

[jennypenny]

I know walking wasn't included because I was disappointed in that. Swimming and cycling were the most sedentary activities included. It also included running, rowing, elliptical, and I think XC skiing.

[Chad]

The study is quite confusing, but here is a very quick and dirty summary of the exercise part (note: there are multiple experiments in the study):

Testing:

HIIT: 3 times per week

This 5-min HIT-trial was conducted a total of 3 times per session. That is, the duration of the session was 20 minutes altogether

Weights: I couldn't find a time for how long the "ladder with weights" workout was done, but my impression is not over 20-30 minutes only 3 times per week.

Aerobic: The rats were just given a wheel and allowed to run as much as they want

Rats had free access to a RW in the home cage for 7 weeks.

Huge difference in just the amount of exercise in this group.

Some of the info in this quote is from a different part of the experiment (some times I think scientists make these write-ups confusing on purpose to make it seem like they REALLY did something):

Note that running on a treadmill at a steady speed of 40 m/min (the maximum speed for some of the best runners in our experiments) for 30 minutes amounts to 1200 meters, whereas animals typically run several kilometers daily when given free access to a running wheel. To summarize, the amount of aerobic exercise may be crucial to its effect on AHN.

I would bet it's not the type of exercise, as much as it is how long you are active. Generally, HIIT and weightlifting in most studies are done for less than 30 minutes and then the subjects, humans or rats, don't really get to do anything else. While, long distance running is generally longer (45-60 minutes). If you did HIIT and/or weightlifting, and then did very low intensity exercise, such as walking, light jogging, bicycling, etc. for another 30 minutes I would bet it has the same impact.

[Ego]

Her lab is trying to figure out the answer to which exercise is best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdDnPYr6R0o

It is challenging because you can't biopsy human brains and count the neurons like you can with rats.

I'm teaching a HIIT Primal Scream Spin class this morning. Judge by my responses this afternoon whether I burned or grew neurons.

[black_son_of_gray]

@ Chad: Indeed, there is a huge difference in total exercise. Fun fact: When researchers study sleep cycles (circadian) in rats/mice, they just put a wheel in the cage that monitors when the animal is running. Basically, the animal is running on that wheel almost all the time that it is awake!

(If you want to see what that looks like: black bars in plots indicate time when wheel is turning, solid bars at top of graph indicate lights on/off, mice are nocturnal)

[enigmaT120]

It is challenging because you can't biopsy human brains and count the neurons like you can with rats.

Of course you can.

[Lemon]

It is challenging because you can't biopsy human brains and count the neurons like you can with rats.

Of course you can.

Not without upsetting the ethics committee.

[Ego]

How to Become a ‘Superager’

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/31/opini ... rager.html

The road to superaging is difficult, though, because these brain regions have another intriguing property: When they increase in activity, you tend to feel pretty bad — tired, stymied, frustrated. Think about the last time you grappled with a math problem or pushed yourself to your physical limits. Hard work makes you feel bad in the moment. The Marine Corps has a motto that embodies this principle: “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” That is, the discomfort of exertion means you’re building muscle and discipline. Superagers are like Marines: They excel at pushing past the temporary unpleasantness of intense effort. Studies suggest that the result is a more youthful brain that helps maintain a sharper memory and a greater ability to pay attention.


and


In the United States, we are obsessed with happiness. But as people get older, research shows, they cultivate happiness by avoiding unpleasant situations. This is sometimes a good idea, as when you avoid a rude neighbor. But if people consistently sidestep the discomfort of mental effort or physical exertion, this restraint can be detrimental to the brain. All brain tissue gets thinner from disuse. If you don’t use it, you lose it.

[Chad]

I found that article in Dr. Patrick's Twitter feed. Discomfort probably does mean growth for ourselves both physically and mentally.

A good example of the opposite was on display in the commentator booth during the Rose Bowl yesterday. Probably the best play-by-play announcer of all time was brought into the booth for a 5 minute interview. He was 88 and seemed all of 88, as he struggled to just track basic conversation with the current commentators. He had probably mastered his profession in the 60's-70's and then just enjoyed it the next 30 years, so no discomfort (it was obvious he had never done anything physically during that time). Now his quick wit and clever dialogue is mostly gone.

[Ego]

I have a woman who comes to my spin class every so often who just turned 80. Sharp as a tack. Funny. Strong. She is more fully "there" than 95% of the people I interact with on a daily basis. She has a wide variety of interests. We have great conversations after class. I play a lot of crazy music (opera, punk, jazz...) and she always has something interesting to say. After class of Friday she wanted to know more about this one....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lITuHDdhdkw

[Chad]

That's awesome that she is willing to explore music like that. Not that liking music in that vein makes one special, but it demonstrates an open and curious mind on her part.

[Dragline]

Well, now. That a new year's wake-up!

Last year I took up a daily fasting regimen and I think it did me a lot of good, particularly on inflammation in the joints.

On exercise, after reviewing again the disastrous year of 2015 where I overdid it for 3 months and created serious knee problems that took months of recovery and a more cautious 2016, this year I think I'm going with a "less is more" idea from Dr. McGuff: http://www.drmcguff.com/

Basically, its an intense, short full body work-out with weights that is only done once per week and focuses on maintaining stress on the muscles until failure. Here's a recent lecture if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeFdYy815pQ (trying to look more like that guy 14 minutes in, only a little taller and with hair).

And I'll add to that a lot of low-stress movement in the walking, rowing machine and biking realms.

[7Wannabe5]

How about none of the above? I just designated Miranda Esmonde-White as my 2017 fitness guru. I think there is fairly good research indicating a link between maintaining neural plasticity and challenging the muscular system through exercises that demand flexibility and balance as well as strength.

[C40]

Most interesting to me was that the study showed an increase in creativity specifically two hours post-workout.

Due to a post-workout high. Endorphins or whatever. I have a hunch that short (<90minutes) intense effort - enough to deplete muscle glycogen but not completely exhaust yourself (and maybe also then quick replenishment, like drinking a can of coke) may have a similar impact as well.

[BRUTE]

no need for the coke. HIIT itself leads to endorphins. brute can confirm. delicious endorphins.