Exercise and Treating Dementia

When people grow old, the age related problems increase- Mental and Physical both. Dementia in which there is a progressive loss of memory, and reduction in cognitive ability occurs. Alzheimer is other disease with neural disorder. With the age, the structure of the brain changes. The part which is associated with learning, acquiring, and maintaining memory it has neural cells. These neural cells get damaged or reduced. 

So basically if the neural cells which are associated with learning, memory-if these cells could be saved the disease associated with memory would fade away.

Reason for Dementia, Mad cow and Others

Some studies suggest that a ‘risk gene’ called APOE4, and another one termed presenilin might be causing dementia.

A more important finding, and likely causative factor, comes from the imaging of the brain. This has found the hippocampus and some other parts of the brain to be tangled a bit, with some insoluble sheet-like ‘plaques’ which interfere with signal transmission in the brain.

Other reports have suggested the role of a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor or BDNF; when its level falls below optimum, dementia results.

Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis or AHN

The part is which is associated with learning and memory is known as hippocampus. It contains neuro- progenitor cells which continue to generate new neurons. The Process is called as Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis or AHN.

Cure

Vaccination or immune therapy  did not work well with the neuron re- generation.  However, exercise helped. The Exercise stimulates neurogenesis – or the generation of the new cells, these were finding of a research.  During Exercise in case of a rodent which has Alzeheimer, the experiment was done with exercise, and the result was positive- 

1.       ANH was increases, more nerve cells were seen to be made

2.      The plaques in the brain of the animal were reduced

3.      The level of molecule BDNF went up 

4.      There was some improvement in memory.

Life expectancy has increased due to availability of medicines but at the same time the problems related to age have also grown in numbers. The challenges in societies are to find the cure. Exercising helped in 'creation of new cells' and that is remarkable finding in itself.