1.Notes from the book SparkBy John J. Ratey, MD

2. Why do we feel good when weexercise? Your ideas? It makes our brain functionat its best. This is the mostimportant benefit ofexercise, the benefit tomuscles, heart, and lungsare just healthy side-effectsof exercise. Why is exercise so good forthe brain? 3. In a Duke University study it was shown thatexercise was better than Zoloft (sertraline) attreating depression and other subsequentstudies have shown that exercise may be one ofthe best treatments for most psychiatricproblems. WHY? 4. Only mobile creatures need a brain. Sea Squirt Larva have brain, it is consumed once it becomes sessile. 5. That which we call thinking is the evolutionaryinternalization of movement. NeurophysiologistRodolfo Llinas As we evolved, our physical skillsdeveloped into abstract abilities topredict, sequence, estimate, plan,rehearse, observe, judge, correctmistakes, shift tactics, and remembereverything we did in order to survive. 6. Evolution of brain and body together over millions of years. The relationship between the ability to obtain food, shelter,comfort, and the physical ability to obtain them throughlearning that has been hardwired into the brains circuitry. In order to survive we had to use our brains to find and storefood. We needed fuel to learn and learning to find a source offuel. We needed to move! On average 11 km per day! Today, not so much 7. Modern people dont move as muchcreating a problem for us asindividuals and a society. 65% adults in our nation are overweight. 10% have type 2 diabetes. 1/3 of the U.S. population by 2050. Preventable health issues due tolack of exercise are becomingincreasing more frequent in children. 8. Our lack of movement is reflected inwhat we value in education. Nationally we are cutting back on P.E. Illinois only state requiring P.E. on a daily basis. In school 5.5 hours of screen time per day perstudent. No or reduced recess for elementary education. 9. Naperville School District Case Study: School district one of the fittest in the nation. 3% overweight vs. 30% (national average) TIMSS (trends in Math and Science Study) testedout 6th in Math and 1st in Science. Why? 10. P.E. Revolution Fitness vs. Sports P. E. Only 3% of students go on to be active in sports afterhigh school. Jr. High Teacher Phil Larson revolutionizes P.E. withfitness vs. Sports Program. Emphasizes personalbest and assesses effort. Small scale sports ex. 3 on 3 basket ball, 4 on 4soccer with the goal of movement. Graded on how much time student spent in targetheart rate zone. 11. Heart rate monitors in class. 12. Zero hour P.E. at NapervilleCentral High School Like early bird P.E. (called learning readiness P.E.) incoming freshman assigned to readingcomprehension literacy class. 17% improvement in reading comprehension vs.10.7% 13. Other data: California Dept. of Ed. Students with the highest fitnessscores had the highest test scores 2001 study fit kids scored 2xs as well on academic testsas their unfit peers. Titusville, Pennsylvania, since adopting fitness P.E. thestudents improve at 17% higher in reading and 18%higher in math than state average. (Low median income) No fist fights in 550 jr. high kids since 2000. Kansas City Mo. P.E. went from once a week to once aday and violent incidences went from 228 in one year to95. in another inner city school discipline problemsdropped 67% 14. In order to learn the brain mustchange. Plasticity: The brain isdesigned so that it canchange! The environment createsthe impetus for change. What is yourenvironment? What areyour experiences When we learn wechange our brains. The neuron allows us todo this. 15. Review of neuron function: Neurons by themselves are not very powerful. Neural networks- many neurons createcommunication lines between them in order to createperceptions and learn new things as we experiencelife Communication between neurons requires themolecules that move between them, what are they? Neurotransmitters. 16. The Neuron: 17. Neural Networks: 18. Neurotransmitter Cascade 80% of the signals in the brain rely on two mainneurotransmitters: Glutamate, which stirs up the activity and begins thecascade GABA, which locks the brain activity down. These two neurotransmitters begin the chemicalsequence of brain activity that regulates all of ourbehavior. In many cases they stimulate the releaseof many other neurotransmitters. 19. The other neurotransmitters: Regulatoryneurotransmitters such asserotonin, norepinephrine,and dopamine. Only 1% of the neuronsproduce these n.t. They instruct otherneurons to make moreglutamate, alter thesensitivity of neurondendrites, and signalother neurons to fire. fine tune the balance ofthe brains chemicals. 20. Serotonin: Considered thepoliceman of the brain It influences mood,impulsivity, anger, andaggression. Many drugs used foranxiety and depressionstimulate the levels ofserotonin in the brain. 21. Norepinephrine: Amplifies attention andperception as well asmotivation. This is one of thehormones in adrenalinethat is released duringthe fast part of thestress response.(fight/flight) 22. Dopamine: The key neurotransmitter involved in reward (satisfaction) attention and movement. 23. But raising or lowering their levels doesnt elicita one to one result as the system is so complex.Consider the side effects of many of theneurotransmitter influencing drugs such asselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssri) 24. Other Brain Chemicals: These are calledFactors Most commonly calledbrain derived neurotrophicfactors (BDNF.) They are a class ofproteins. Build and maintain cellcircuitry infrastructure. The best way to think ofthem is as fertilizer forthe brain. 25. Brain Derived neurotrophicfactors (BDNF) In the 1990s ~ one dozen or so scientific studiesdone on them. Explosion of neuroscience research after 2000. 5400 papers/studies done as of 2007. Why? Turns out there pretty darn important to the brain, itsoverall health and learning. 26. Learning requires strengthening therelationship (affinity) between neuronsthrough a dynamic mechanism called longterm potentiation. (building strong synapsesbetween the neurons makes it easier forsignaling/firing between them.) 27. Learning pathway explained Glutamate (a neurotransmitter) is sent from one neuron across the synapse to the dendrites of another. If there are repeated firings, the genes inside the receiving neuron are turned on to produce building materials for the synapse to allow it to become permanently more receptive. The memory sticks! 28. Learning and forgetting If you learn a new word each day and never practiceit the attraction between synapses diminishes andyou forget it. Repeated activation/stimulation comes with practice. This causes the synapse to swell actually growingmore brain. So where does exercise come in? 29. Because so many parts of the brainare involved in movement, all of the brain is benefitted by movement. 30. Movement and exercise is whereBDNF comes in to play. If you sprinkle BDNF on neurons in a petri-dish, thecells automatically sprouted new branches(synapses.) Like Miracle-Grow for the brain .Heres how: 1) BDNF binds receptors at the synapse 2) activates genes that call for more BDNF,serotonin, and proteins that build synapse 3) BDNF builds & strengthens the neuron protectingagainst cell death 31. Exercise and Rats U of Cal Irvine: CarlCotman director for brainaging used rats on arunning wheel. (Theywere not forced toparticipate!)control vs. 2,4, and 7 nights of runninga week. Their BDNF went uprelative to the amt.exercised. Their hippocampus lit upw/BDNF. 32. Exercises effect on thebrain is immediate. 2007 German researchers found humans learned20% faster following exercise Slowly psychiatry grudgingly accepts the idea thatexercise can improve state of mind in all areas oftreatment. 33. Understanding the context of Brain Derived NeurotrophicFactors BDNF are great but not just by themselves Need something to respond to. Challenge yourself and learn something afterexercise. Environmental enrichment study on rats, by Dr.William Greenough from U. of I. (video) 34. The birth of new neurons throughout our life is arelatively new idea in neuroscience. 35. Exercise stimulates neurogenesis Pharmaceutical companies dream of finding thechemical pathway to induce neurogenesis. They want to put exercise into a bottle. Consider the implications? Not just BDNF but a host of other hormones andchemicals that stimulate both neuron growth anddevelopment but also glial cell growth. 36. So whats the best exercise You cant actually learn very well whileexercising at a high intensity. (blood is moveaway from the prefrontal cortex.) But blood flow returns immediately afterexercise. Find exercise that you like to do where heart rateis increased significantly. (30+minutes.) Running,swimming, biking. Mix in exercise that involves coordination:tennis, racquetball, balance drills, yoga, dance,skating, karate. 37. Summary of Exercise Benefits to the Brain: Increases alertness, attention, and motivation Prepares and encourages nerve cells to bindto one another-allowing logging of newinformation. Spawns the development of new nerve cellsform stem cells in the hippocampus. Protects the cells from aging prematurely anddeath. 38. Other Brain Benefits from Exercise: Reduction of the effects of stress and anxiety Relief from depression. Improved concentration and performancefrom people diagnosed with ADHD. Addiction Hormonal changes Aging