Exercise, estrogen boost brain health

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Exercise_estrogen_boost_brain_health

 

(I was reading in a science mag that having kid for females can make them

smarter than virgins. Good for multi-tasking. I didn't buy the mag but it

was tested on rats first. I'll see if it's online. N)

 

 

Exercise, estrogen boost brain health

By Christine Dell`amore Jan 28, 2006, 1:23 GMT

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WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- Physically active women on hormone

replacement therapy also keep their minds limber as they age.

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that post-menopausal women

who stay fit and take hormone therapy, or HRT, have healthier brain

structures and better cognition than unfit women on HRT. Sedentary women who

took HRT long term experienced a loss in brain function -- making yet

another case for exercise in a nation of aging baby boomers.

'The results of the study are exciting in the sense that they suggest that

there are a number of factors -- in the present case hormone replacement

therapy and exercise -- that can enhance cognitive and brain vitality as we

age,' said Arthur Kramer, a researcher on the study and a professor of

neuroscience and psychology at the University of Illinois.

The study appeared online this month in advance of regular publication in

the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

With more than 35 millions Americans over 65 -- a 12-percent rise from 1990

to 2000 -- improving brain health is a popular topic of study.

Kramer and colleagues recruited 54 post-menopausal women between 58 and 80.

The scientists divided the participants into groups according to how much

the women said they exercised, whether they took HRT, and if so, how long

they had taken it.

Researchers gave the women stress tests on treadmills to measure their

cardio-respiratory fitness. Study participants also took a Wisconsin Card

Sorting Test, which analyzes a person`s executive control and cognitive

flexibility.

Executive control is a person`s ability to make decisions and organize their

lives. Previous research has shown executive-control processes decline

significantly as people age, as well as the brain regions that support them,

such as the frontal and temporal cortices.

Researchers define a healthy brain as a higher volume of gray matter in the

frontal and temporal cortices.

The participants were given brain MRIs, and researchers then took the images

and used sophisticated magnetic imaging to pick up fine resolutions of the

brain`s white and gray matter.

The study adds fuel to a long history of debate over estrogen in

post-menopausal women. In the past, scientists found HRT reduces the onset

of dementia and improves gray-matter volume in the brain -- but recent

studies suggest the benefits last only up to a point. After 15 years or

more, estrogen treatment may in fact hinder memory and speed up cognitive

decline.

Thus, HRT may provide women with benefits now and costs later on -- unless

they exercise, which saves them from a loss in cognitive function, Kramer

said.

'Basically, it`s a huge message to send out to women who are worried about

hormone balances to make sure they stay fit,' said Carl Cotman, director of

the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California

at Irvine. 'It`s going to give women pause to reflect,' he added.

Cotman has also conducted research on estrogen and fitness, but in animals.

In one study, he gave estrogen to post-menopausal rats and found their

brains improve with the cumulative effect of exercise and estrogen

treatment.

The idea that exercising could bolster brain health was considered

revolutionary only a short time ago, Cotman said. Although much is still

unknown, exercise seems to keep the molecular machinery of the brain tuned

up, increases blood flow and encourages the creation of new neurons, he

said.

The study`s authors cautioned clinical trials are needed to strengthen the

connection between estrogen and fitness, but the results are a 'promising

direction' in halting the detrimental effects of aging.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International