Exercise sharpens young minds

New Zealand scientists have found yet more proof to back up Buddha's ancient adage, "healthy body, healthy mind".

Researchers at the University of Otago have discovered that regular exercise improves brain function even in young adults in the prime of life and at the height of cognitive ability.

The newly published study challenges the oft-held belief that the brains of healthy 20-somethings might not benefit as much as older people from regular, sustained exercise.

Lead researcher Dr Liana Machado, from the university's psychology department, said it was exciting to realise there is a compelling reason for young people to exercise - they too will get the same benefits as older physically active people.

The team enlisted 52 tertiary students aged 18 to 30 and put them through a series of computerised cognitive tests while measuring oxygen levels in the frontal lobe of their brains. They also recorded how often the students exercised.

The findings, published in the journal Psychophysiology, showed that both blood supply to the brain and cognitive functioning appeared to benefit from regular exercise in young adults.

"This provides compelling evidence that regular exercise, at least five days per week, is a way to sharpen our cognitive ability as young adults - challenging the assumption that living a sedentary lifestyle leads to problems only later in life," she said.

The research also provides potential insight into understanding why people who regularly engage in aerobic exercise tend to function better on a cognitive level.

The exercise could involve brisk walking or more vigorous activity, and could be made up of a few 10-minute bouts of exercise rather than one single work-out block, the researchers said.