Neurodegenerative brain injury 'prevented by exercise'RSS Feed

Exercise could help to prevent the brain injury caused by neurodegenerative diseases, new findings show.

Research published in journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity reported that exercising regularly allowed the brain to quickly produce chemicals which stave off the damaging inflation seen in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists found that mice who exercised regularly before being exposed to a chemical that destroys the hippocampus produced an immune messenger called interleukin-6 in the brain.

This protected the brain from the harmful inflammatory response to the chemical and prevented the loss of function in the hippocampus - which controls learning and memory.

The University of Colorado's Dr Ruth Barrientos commented: "Perhaps the greatest challenge with this line of research will not be more discoveries of compelling evidence of the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of exercise, but instead, getting humans to exercise voluntarily and regularly."

In other news, Professor June Andrews of the University of Stirling has commented that leading a healthy lifestyle could help individuals to avoid the brain injury seen in dementia.

News by Serious Law. Expert legal assistance for those affected by brain injury

Posted by Matthew Heap
 

Painkilling peptide 'may aid traumatic brain injury patients'

16 August 2011

A new painkilling peptide could prevent cell death following a traumatic brain injury new research has shown.The study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, found that the CDB3 peptide is...

Read More...

US military employs 'improved brain injury screening'

15 August 2011

The US military is putting more emphasis on detecting brain injury among troops.From 2000 to 2006, an average of 13,000 brain injuries were detected among troops each year, reports the Associated Press.During...

Read More...

Depression 'heightens stroke risk'

12 August 2011

People with depression could be at a higher risk of the brain injury seen in stroke, according to new research.A study published in journal Stroke revealed that a history of depression was linked to a...

Read More...