doesexercisehaveunexpectedbenefits

　　justasexercisestrengthenstheheartandlungs,bonesandmuscles,itmayalsopowerupthebrain.asuccessionofscientificstudiesofanimalsimpliesthatphysicalactivityhasapositiveeffectonmentalfunctioning.

　　"it'sclearthatthebrainbenfitsfromexercise,"saysbrainscientistwilliangreenoughoftheuniversityofillinoisaturbana-champain.hisstudieswithratshavedemonstratedtwoprimaryeffectsofactivity:vigorousphysicalexerciseprovidesthebrainwithmorefuel,andskill-basedexerciseincreasestheformationofconnectioninthebrain,whichaccordingtotheproposalsofsomescientists,maymakethebrainbetterabletoprocessinformation.

　　inoneexperiment,laboratoryratswereseparatedintothreegroups.onegroupwasexercisedbyrunninginsideanautomaticwheel,asecondgroupimprovedtheirskillsinacomplicatiedobstaclecourse,andathirdgroupwasinactive.

　　theanimalwaslearnedtogothroughtheobstaclecourseexhibitedagreaternumberofbrainconnectionthantheanimalsintheexerciseorinactivegroup,greenoughsaid,incontrast,theanimalsthatexercisedinsidetheautomaticwheelpossessedagreaterdensityofbloodvesselsinthebrainthandideitheroftheothertwogroupofanimal.

　　learninganewdancestepmayboostthebraininthesamewaythatlearningalanguagecan,hesays.andifthedanceisagoodphysicalexerciseaswell,thebenfitsmultiply.youngbrainsmaybeespeciallyabletoboostbrainpowerthroughexercise,suggestedanotherofgreenounh'sexperimentsthatshowesthemostsignificantchangesinthebrainoccuredamongratsthathadbeenexercisedwhenveryyoung.andwhileanimalsaren'tpeople,hesaiditislogicaltomaketheinferencethataneffectfoundinratsmayalsoapplytohumans.

　　humansstudieshavefousedprimailyonolderadulesandsuggestthatregularexercisecanimprovethespeedwithwhichthebrainprocessesinformation.measurementsmadebyarthurkramerattheuniversityofillionisdemonstratedthatinactiveadults,age63to82,couldhitbuttonsfasterinrespondsetoatoneaftertheywentthrougha10-weekwaterexercisecourse.acorrespondingcontrolgroupthatdidn'texerciseshowednoimprovement.

　　thisboostinreactiontimeafterexercisetrainingmayoccurbecausedeclinesassociatedwithgettingoldcouldactuallystemfromdeclinesinphysicalcondition.somescientistsspeculatetheredutioninmentalfuntionoftenattributedtogettingoldmayreallybeapenaltyofneglectingtostayphysicallyactive,inadditiontorelatedfactorssuchasmedicinesandpoordiet.

　　inolderpeople,anexerciseprogramappearsimpsrtantforbrainmaintenance,saysdanielm,landers,professorofexercisescienceatarizonastateuniversity,whorecentlypublishedanarticlereviewingthescientificlitertureonactivity'seffectonthebrain.

　　numerousstudiesshowthatchildrenwhoengageinregularphysicalactivitydobetterinschoolthantheirinactiveclassmates.butuntilrecently,theacademicedgegainedbyparticipatinginsportswasthoughttocomefromtheincreasedself-confidence,thebettermood,andtheabilitytoconcentratethatcomesfromburingoffsteaminexercise.now,however,somescientistshaverevisedtheirwayofthinking,andpointtopossiblephysicalconnections.

　　piercej,howard,anotherexpert,sa