Exercise and depression
muscles, fat cells, and liver release a variety of molecules into the bloodstream. Some of these molecules which circulate through the body and where they can cross the blood-brain barrier. Once inside, they trigger a cascade of beneficial changes that can make one feel sharper and happier: one crucial change is the release of a growth hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. When it comes to exercise’s positive effects on the brain, BDNF is first and foremost.
And there is always the Chicken and egg argument delivered by those couch potatoes i.e. is it the exercise on its own per se or is it just the mere fact of doing something that one enjoys that leads to the improvements in mood and memory .
our brains are like a spiders web of connections with links between different parts of the web and these links allow the brain to combine what we are seeing with what we are moving with our hands, all the while whilst listening to our kids squabbling over the remote control and it is the BDNF that is responsible for strengthening these connections, ‘hence the runners high ‘ and this leads me onto another benefit of the connections between different areas of the brain – and the more one practices using these connections then the more strongly they are held or formed ; so what this means is it is important to do exercise as well as practice the executive functions of the brain – it is a little bit like trying to grow grass without any fertiliser and in this analogy the EDNF IS equivalent to the fertiliser; and which connections are strengthened are all dependant on us, so returning, to the grass analogy if we want there to be a very good covering of grass next to the house then we will need to ensure we put a lot of seed there , and if you want to ensure your memory retains its clarity then you will need to practice using this and I am almost proof positive that this can be achieved because this is exactly what has happened me. My slate was essentially wiped clean or it was definitively removed from me. but the cleanliness of my slate must be considered under review , because I am Australian , assuming I still have any slate left to me and I am tempted to title this post the runners high and grass growing because I am pretty certain that the thought police would not be too happy with this
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