Running beats Nintendo's Brain Academy

People who want to exercise their brain can choose the game "Brain Academy" on the Nintendo Game Console. On the other hand you could consider to go out for a run! You not only train your body but make your brain fitter as well.

Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh made two groups of rhesus monkeys workout each day for three months. One group just jogged and one group ran. A third group of monkey was allowed to relax.

After these three months they were treated with an injection killing the cells that produce dopamine. The same cells that die in patients with Parkinson's disease. Official title of this research: "Impact of exercise on caudate and putamen in a non-human primate model of Parkinson's disease"

But now the results: The monkeys that had to run for three months were "resistant" to this injection. The lazy monkeys were no longer able to use the arm related to the half of the brain that was injected. The running monkeys still had control over their arm.

So here you are: Just another great reason to start running! Asics new it already many years ago: "Anima Sana in Corpore Sano”, a sound mind in a sound body.

And of course there is still this book I wrote about some time ago.



For those who still don't want to run: Trian Your Brain online