Tired of your own forgetfulness? How long do you remember where you put your car keys? Researchers say it is fixable - a little physical training will help improve memory.
The researchers asked 54 participants in the experiment (some of them had memory problems) to view a series of images. Then, half of the participants were asked to ride a stationary bike for 6 minutes while the rest continued to sit. When an hour later, the subjects were asked to describe in detail those images that they could recall, exercising on a stationary bike demonstrated “amazing improvements in memory.” Scientists from the University of California at Irvine share their impressions: "We were most shocked by the fact that we observed a significant improvement in memory in both groups, with both strong and weak memory."
But how can going to the gym be associated with better brain activity? The researchers explain it this way: physical activity stimulates the release of norepinephrine in the brain, a chemical whose role in memory processes is very important.
The researchers took three samples of saliva from the participants: at the beginning of the experiment, after viewing the images by the participants and immediately after training and rest. The levels of salivary alpha-amylase, which is known as a biomarker, indicating the activity of norepinephrine in the brain, significantly jumped in those who trained on the exercise bike.
And although scientists chose people aged between 50 and 85 years to be the object of their research, they believe that young people will benefit even more for their memory from sports.
