Stronger, Faster, Smarter (Video)

Physical exercise boosts brainpower for students and the elderly

Mary Carmichael’s article in Newsweek cites research showing how aerobic exercise increases Nerve Growth Factors, such as BDNF, Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, called Miracle Gro for the brain by Dr. John Ratey in his book, SPARK, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

Understand why we need Daily Physical Education in our schools, and why all people throughout life, especially the elderly need daily exercise to maintain their mental sharpness.

Kudos to scientists William Greenough, Charles Hillman, Arthur Kramer, and physical educators performing a short Genetic Expression -- BDNF movement routine, all from Illinois, involved with moving this science forward!

Train Your Brain with Exercise

Make yourself smarter with aerobic workouts

Jean Lawrence writing for WebMD summarizes current research showing how exercise combats ADHD naturally, calms hyperactivity, grows new brain cells with added BDNF, releases pleasure chemicals key to memory and motivation, and helps remedy depression, fatigue and stress. Dr. John Ratey is quoted, “Exercise is really for the brain, not the body.” No wonder daily physical education in school is key to maximizing learning potential.

Body and Brain Cell Dance (video)

Show brain cells working best through movement and exercise

Follow a sequence of gestures showing how movement and exercise help produce new neurons (neurogenesis), extend neural networks (dendrites and receptors sites), generate more genetic expression, produce more myelin on axons for faster body-brain transmission and make synapses smile.


Get a leg-up on current research with more detailed body-brain cell dances coming soon. Make this science come alive movin' and groovin' along!

Exercise Brain Growth

Move Your Feet -- Grow New Neurons in Your Hippocampus

Brenda Patoine’s article on the DANA.org website cites research suggesting neurogenesis (new brain cell growth) resulting from exercise (e.g. hour a day, four times a week). MRI scans show growth takes place in the dentate gyrus within the hippocampus, an essential part of our memory system. The research suggests that exercise helps protect your brain throughout your lifetime. BDNF, is a major nerve growth factor involved in new brain cell growth and connectivity according to Carl Cotman, neurobiologist at the University of California, Irvine.

Exercise Improves the Brain

How your inner athlete makes you smarter


Robert Nixon writing for Live Science has a fine article showing how aerobic exercise improves the brain creating new brain cells and improving the cellular connections. Carl Cotman explains how nerve growth factors come into play.