Khaberni - An American research team said it has reached a "direct proof" that "a single session of exercise can activate neural networks in the brain associated with learning and memory".
The study, published in the Brain Communications journal, showed that physical activity stimulates the emergence of fast brain waves known as "ripples", which are electrical signals released from the hippocampus, the part responsible for forming memory, and connected to other brain areas involved in learning and retrieval processes.
The researchers measured neural activity in the brains of epilepsy patients before and after they performed an exercise session. The results showed that just one exercise session led to a significant increase in these high-frequency brain waves.
These ripples move from the hippocampus to cortical areas in the brain known for their role in processing and storing information, which suggests that exercise can enhance the neural connections associated with memory.
Indirect Indicators
Neuroscientists had previously observed these memory-associated ripples in mice, but confirming their presence in humans has been difficult, as recording them requires implanting electrodes inside the brain.
Therefore, previous studies relied on indirect indicators such as measuring changes in blood flow to the brain after exercise.
The new study is the first in which researchers were able to directly observe neural cell activity in humans after physical exercise.
The new study included 14 epilepsy patients aged between 17 and 50, who underwent the experiment at the healthcare center of the University of Iowa in America. After a short warm-up period, participants were asked to ride a stationary bike for 20 minutes at a speed they could maintain throughout the duration of the exercise.
The researchers recorded brain activity of the participants before and after the exercise using intracranial electroencephalography technology, which uses electrodes implanted in the brain to measure neural signals with high accuracy.
The recordings showed an increase in the rate of neural ripples emanating from the hippocampus and their connection to cortical areas associated with cognitive performance and memory.
Neural Patterns
The study's lead author Michele Voss, a professor of brain and psychological sciences at the University of Iowa, says that scientists have known for years that physical exercise is beneficial for cognitive functions such as memory, but most of the previous evidence came from behavioral studies or indirect brain imaging.
She added that directly recording neural activity showed for the first time in humans that even a single exercise session can quickly change the rhythm of the neural networks associated with memory.
